It had been over a month, but Anthony Davis finally made his return to the lineup and looked just like himself to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a win over the San Antonio Spurs. The win completed a season sweep over the Spurs for the Lakers.
Davis came off the bench for just the sixth time in his career but was productive in limited minutes. The star big man got off to a slow start on both ends, but clearly got more comfortable as the game wore on.
After knocking down a few shots in the first half, Davis really got going in the second half as he was more active on both ends of the floor. In his return, Davis would finish with a double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds to go along with four blocks in just 25 minutes.
The Lakers and their fans did collectively hold their breath when Davis rolled his ankle near the end of the third quarter because of a reckless closeout, but he somehow was able to shake it off and close out the game.
Davis’ return wasn’t the only good news of the night as Rui Hachimura made his purple and gold debut. Like Davis, Hachimura came off the bench and appeared to be trying to find his way on his new team before settling in.
At 6’8″, Hachimura quickly established himself as a tertiary scoring option behind LeBron James and Davis as the team was happy to clear out a side and let him go to work. The 24-year-old would end the night with 12 points and six rebounds on an efficient 4-of-7 shooting.
Not to be lost in the return of his co-star and new teammate’s first game with the team, James had a solid all-around game. While he struggled shooting the basketball, James still managed to make an impact as a rebounder and playmaker. The King recorded a near triple-double of 20 points, 11 assists, and nine rebounds although he also committed six turnovers.
As a surprise, Patrick Beverley was a key part of the offense tonight as he had his 3-ball working for him. Beverley managed to convert three of his seven attempts from downtown en route to 18 points.
Up next for Lakers
The Lakers will get a couple of days off before heading out east to begin a five-game road trip. Los Angeles gets a tough matchup against the Boston Celtics on Saturday followed by a back-to-back against the Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks on Monday and Tuesday, respectively.
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