Anthony Davis Joins Elite Company with 30 Points and 20 Rebounds in Lakers Playoff Game
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SAN FRANCISCO — Anthony Davis made history on Tuesday night, becoming just the fifth player in Los Angeles Lakers franchise history to record 30 points and 20 rebounds in a playoff game. Davis joined an elite group of former Lakers greats, including Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Shaquille O’Neal, who have previously accomplished this feat. His performance pushed the Lakers to a 117-112 win on the road over the defending champion Golden State Warriors, wresting away home-court advantage in the Western Conference semifinals.
The Lakers’ victory was a direct result of Davis’s dominance, as he finished the game with 30 points, 23 rebounds, and 4 blocks. His presence was felt all over the court, as the Lakers outscored the Warriors inside the paint by 54-28. “He’s everything for us,” Lakers guard Dennis Schröder said. “Defensively, offensively, big part for this organization. I mean, he wasn’t an All-Star, wasn’t the defensive player of the year. He’s taking it serious, doing everything for us, and he’s the anchor.”
Davis’s performance was all the more impressive considering the star power on the court. Warriors guard Stephen Curry finished with 27 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists, while two other Golden State guards, Klay Thompson and Kent Bazemore, also eclipsed 20 points. However, it was Davis who stole the show.
The Lakers gave up a lot to acquire Davis in the summer of 2019, including players who would become critical pieces for other franchises. But Davis seemed to reward the Lakers right away. He was named to All-NBA and All-Defensive first teams, and was a candidate for the Defensive Player of the Year Award. He fit perfectly on James’s team, as the two of them hardly went anywhere without each other and waited for each other to finish their on-court interviews after every game.
Davis’s critics have questioned his durability and his consistency, and not without reason. He has missed games because of injury in every year of his career and played in only 56 games this season. But on Tuesday night, he showed just what his dominance can mean to the Lakers. Davis played 43 minutes 50 seconds, more than any other player, and seemed tireless throughout the game. Lakers Coach Darvin Ham credited the Lakers’ load management during the regular season for Davis’s ability to play big minutes in the playoffs.
With his performance on Tuesday night, Davis joined an elite group of former Lakers greats, and James believes he will one day join them in the rafters. “The Lakers franchise over the years, over the course of their existence, has always had dominant big men, dominant guys that have been a force at the rim,” James said after the game. “That’s why their jerseys are in the rafters. A.D. will be up there when he’s done playing.”
Davis and James will look to build on their Game 1 victory in Game 2 on Thursday. Davis said he will continue to be aggressive and the Lakers will make adjustments. It remains to be seen if Davis can replicate his performance from Tuesday night, but if he does, the Lakers will be in a great position to advance to the Western Conference finals.
