Anthony Davis performed excellently in the Los Angeles Lakers victory over the Charlotte Hornets. He finished with 42 points and 23 rebounds, becoming the first NBA player to have at least 15 more points and 15 more rebounds than any player on either team since 1994. The last time this happened was with Shaquille O’Neal for the Orlando Magic against the Boston Celtics. This tremendous game from Davis gave the Lakers a 112-107 win. Los Angeles has won four games in a row and six out of their last seven. The team is climbing the Western Conference ranks because of his efforts.
Anthony Davis’ Great Performance
In Davis’s 42-point game, he shot an efficient 17-of-28 from the field. He was physical inside, getting to his spots in the paint with ease. Anthony also displayed his athleticism, speeding past other big men and throwing down alley-oop dunks. The Lakers jumped out to a commanding 26-5 lead, mostly because the Hornets had no answer for Davis. He got it done defensively as well, with multiple blocks and rebounds. Charlotte recently traded one of their big men, Nick Richards, to the Phoenix Suns, so Mark Williams was left on his own to stop him.
The inside scoring also opened up the mid-range for Davis. Once the defense expected him to muscle his way into the paint,he stepped back and began to knock down mid-range jump shots. By the end of the first quarter, he was getting anything he wanted, from putbacks to post-fadeaways. He had 21 points and 11 rebounds in the first quarter alone, outscoring the entire Hornets team. This dominance continued throughout the rest of the game. Davis would grab rebounds surrounded by defenders. He would snatch airballs out of the air and put them back in for points. He would score from anywhere inside the three-point line.
Davis had a +16 plus-minus, and the Lakers won the game by five. When he was on the floor, Charlotte could not stop him from scoring, and they could not contain him on the glass. He had a season-high in points and rebounds. The next highest-scoring player was Miles Bridges, with 26 points. No other player in the game cracked double-digit rebounds. Bridges and Williams both had eight.
The Lakers’ Success
Davis has been integral to the Lakers’ success this season. They hold a 26-18 record and a four-game winning streak. During this streak, Davis has been the highest-scoring Laker in every game. He scored 29 points against the Wizards, 24 against the Celtics, 36 against the Warriors, and most recently, 42 against the Hornets. And most of these wins have been blowouts. Los Angeles beat the Wizards, Celtics, and Warriors by double digits, and even though the Charlotte game ended close, the Lakers led for the entire game. At one point, they led by as many as 23.
This season has been a reminder of how much a fully healthy Davis benefits Los Angeles. It puts less of a strain on Lebron James, and Davis’s combination of size, strength, and athleticism make him a constant threat on both ends of the floor. Much of his time with the Lakers over recent years has been mired with injuries, but now the NBA is reminded just how good Davis is at full strength. He is a borderline top-10 player and, paired with James, makes Los Angeles a constant threat in the Western Conference.
Final Thoughts
The Lakers currently hold the fifth seed in the Western Conference. It is an improvement under first-year head coach JJ Reddick. For the past couple of seasons, Los Angeles has been a play-in team, but Reddick has unlocked a new potential with the help of Anthony Davis. His 42-point, 23-rebound performance is not just a great game but part of a great season. The Lakers are aiming for new heights, and if Davis can continue to play this well, they may get there.