On the day before turning 31, Anthony Davis had an outstanding performance, scoring 27 points and grabbing 25 rebounds in the Lakers 120-109 win against the Timberwolves.
Anthony Davis had an impressive performance for the Lakers, contributing five assists, a career-high seven steals, and three blocked shots. The Lakers, who are competing for a play-in spot, took advantage of a weakened Timberwolves team. The Timberwolves, previously second in the West, dropped to third place after the game. Key players like Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert were absent due to injuries. Anthony Davis made NBA history by achieving at least 25 points, 25 rebounds, and five steals in a single game. LeBron James also played a significant role in the Lakers’ victory, scoring 21 of his 29 points in the second half. Despite draining 16 three-pointers, the Timberwolves were outscored 29-17 in the fourth quarter.
The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 124-93 at home, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the team with 23 points and rookie Cason Wallace contributing 23 points off the bench. Despite the victory, the Thunder faced a setback when Jalen Williams had to leave the game in the second quarter due to a sprained right ankle.
The Houston Rockets overcame a 13-point deficit to defeat the Kings 112-104 in Sacramento. However, their top scorer Alperen Sengun had to be wheeled off the court after a fall while contesting Domantas Sabonis near the basket in the last minute. Rockets coach Ime Udoka mentioned that Sengun was undergoing X-rays on his right knee, and the standout center was set to have an MRI on his right knee and ankle the following day. Sengun from Turkey is currently averaging a career-best 21.2 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.
The action at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles began on Sunday with the Milwaukee Bucks defeating the Clippers 124-117. Damian Lillard contributed 35 points and Giannis Antetokounmpo added 34 for Milwaukee, who had previously suffered losses to Golden State and the Lakers on their California road trip. In a competitive game with 28 lead changes, Lillard’s 16 points in the fourth quarter helped the Bucks secure a late victory against a Clippers team missing Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
In a different match, the 76ers defeated the Knicks 79-73 at Madison Square Garden, limiting the Knicks to their lowest points total of the NBA season. Kelly Oubre Jr contributed 18 points and 10 rebounds for the 76ers, who are still waiting for Joel Embiid to return from knee surgery. Tyrese Maxey, an All-Star, was absent for his fourth game due to a concussion. This game marked the first time since 2016 that both teams scored less than 80 points in a season where scoring has been on the rise.
