The Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves had been locked in a back-and-forth battle Sunday night time in Los Angeles.
Till the fourth quarter. On the again of a monster sport from Anthony Davis, the Lakers turned a 92-92 fourth-quarter tie right into a 120-109 victory to safe their ninth win in 13 video games. Ultimately, Davis did one thing no participant in NBA historical past has performed earlier than.
Davis completed the sport with 27 factors, 25 rebounds, 5 assists, seven steals and three blocks. No different participant in NBA historical past has tallied 25-plus factors, 25-plus rebounds, five-plus assists and five-plus steals in a single sport.
Davis did so whereas taking full benefit of a Timberwolves entrance line lacking heart Rudy Gobert and energy ahead Karl-Anthony Cities, each of whom missed Sunday’s sport with damage. Cities is out for an prolonged stretch with a torn meniscus in his left knee, whereas Gobert sat with hamstring tightness after coming into Sunday with a questionable tag.
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Naz Reid received the beginning nod within the put up for Minnesota and delivered on offense with 25 factors whereas hitting 5 of 10 3-pointers. However he was no match for Davis, a nine-time All-Star who was the very best participant on the ground Sunday night time. LeBron James had a powerful night time of his personal with 29 factors, 9 assists and eight rebounds.
With the win, the Lakers improved to 36-30 to realize a 1.5-game cushion over the Tenth-place Golden State Warriors and transfer inside one sport of the eighth-place Dallas Mavericks within the Western convention play-in race. They’re now two video games again of the sixth-place Phoenix Suns, who would earn the West’s final assured playoff spot if the postseason began Sunday.
The Timberwolves misplaced their second straight sport and their fourth in six to drop to 44-21. As soon as in first place, they now path the the 45-19 Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder and 44-20 Denver Nuggets on the high of the West as they alter to enjoying the remainder of the common season with out Cities.