Anthony Davis finished with 25 points, 23 rebounds and six assists in the Los Angeles Lakers’ Game 4 victory over the Denver Nuggets. In doing so, Davis joined Shaquille O’Neal and Wilt Chamberlain as the only Lakers to finish with at least 25 points, 20 rebounds and five assists in a playoff game.
It was the latest outstanding game for Davis, who has been unstoppable throughout this series. The big man is averaging 30.5 points, 15.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists in the series so far, doing everything he can to help the Lakers try and overcome a Nuggets team that has dominated them for most of the past two seasons.
As for why Davis has been in such a good rhythm offensively in these playoffs, the big man credited his Lakers teammates for setting him up in good positions.
“I just feel good. Just taking my time, reading the defense,” Davis said. “My teammates are doing a great job of getting me the ball in space and in areas where I can be most effective. But it’s another challenge going into Game 5 in Denver and we learned from tonight about what we did great and what we can be better at and try to have some carryover going up there on Monday.”
Davis would continue on, noting that he is letting things come to him and trying not to force too much before again, praising his Lakers teammates.
“I think I’m in a good rhythm with just how we’re playing,” Davis added. “Just playing in the flow, not really forcing anything. Just letting the game kind of come to me. A lot of pick-and-rolls, stuff around the rim. If I get some isolations, just trying to be aggressive if I see an open floor. If I get a rebound, pushing it and being aggressive in those moment.
“But like I said, I think my teammates are just doing a good job of getting me the ball in positions where I can be effective and then I just make the read from there whether it’s a shot or a kick out for a guy to shoot a 3. But for the most part, I’m just trying to be very aggressive knowing it’s gonna open things up for my teammates.”
It took a historic effort from Davis to extend the Lakers season and he joined some truly elite company with his Game 4 performance. If the Lakers plan on coming back to L.A. for a Game 6, Davis may need to have another history-making night.
Darvin Ham outlines message to Lakers before and after Game 4
Thanks to the efforts of Anthony Davis and the rest of the Lakers, they lived to fight on another day and head coach Darvin Ham revealed a message he had for his team prior to, and after the Game 4 win.
“Beautiful day to be alive in order to stay alive,” Ham said. “That was the message [Friday] and the message [Saturday]. Just win one game. And we’ve got to re-focus, re-calibrate and have that same mindset going up to Denver.”
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