The Los Angeles Lakers snapped their four-game losing streak by outlasting the L.A. Clippers on Sunday behind outstanding two-way performances from LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
The Lakers have been in a rut on both ends of the floor but played arguably their best game since the championship round of the NBA In-Season Tournament. James led all scorers with 25 points, while Davis recorded another double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds.
Davis has been the Lakers’ best player on both ends during the 2023-24 season, and defensively he’s been on another level. The star big man has done just about everything on defense this season, and has even matched up against opposing teams’ best players for stretches.
Against the Clippers, that entailed Davis drawing Paul George on several possessions.
“Obviously he’s a phenomenal player that has an array of moves,” Davis said. “Can shoot the ball well, can drive, all the tricks and everything like that. My job was to stay in front and make it tough on him. I’m very comfortable guarding anybody in this league, I’ve shown that I can guard multiple positions, 1-5, and my team is very confident in me guarding those guys and making plays defensively for us. Anytime that you can get a stop on a player like that, it feels good.”
Davis helped hold George to 8-of-18 shooting from the field, including 4-of-11 from beyond the arc, solid marks for someone like the Clippers star who can score in bunches. Davis is at his best when he is near the rim deterring shots, but he’s also been responsible for switching onto perimeter players when necessary.
With ample wing players on the roster, Lakers head coach Darvin Ham is able to switch more freely and having someone like Davis who can hold his own is a massive benefit. Against a team like the Clippers that have a excellent one-on-one scorers in Kawhi Leonard, James Harden and George, Davis as a safety blanket is a luxury for Ham and the coaching staff.
Anthony Davis: Lakers need to build off of win against Clippers
A win against their Crypto.com Arena co-tenants was a massive morale booster for the Lakers as they’ve struggled to put together many quality games since becoming In-Season Tournament champions. The Clippers have been playing about as well as anyone else in the league, so Davis believes it’s the perfect opportunity for he and the Lakers to finally build some positive momentum off their victory.
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