It has been a hectic run for the Los Angeles Lakers but the only sense of hope comes from the presence of Anthony Davis. Things are slowly starting to fall into place for the Lakers, especially since they’re starting to win consistently. Considering the pace they’ve been working at, the future seems as bright as can be. As the season slowly approaches the midway point, things are expected to get highly competitive as well.
The Lakers were a sight for sore eyes during the In-Season Tournament. For starters, despite having a rocky start with a couple of discouraging losses, LA pushed through for the better. They are slowly moving up the leaderboard in the Western Conference. This is certainly a good sign for LeBron James and his clan moving forward. The King and his warriors paid a visit to the tournament’s finals to end it off in style.
Anthony Davis cements his name in Lakers history books
LA had an outstanding run during the In-Season Tournament and topped the West Group A rankings. Somehow they managed to utilize the tournament to level their record and grasp the fifth spot in the Western Conference. The Lakers were 4-0 during the group stages and kept moving in the right direction. They had a couple of wins against the New Orleans Pelicans and Phoenix Suns as well to reach the finals.
The only Lakers with a 40/20/5 game in franchise history:
— Elgin
— WiltAnd now, AD. pic.twitter.com/ploKGP9dqf
— StatMuse (@statmuse) December 10, 2023
This ultimately placed them in a matchup against the Indiana Pacers of the Eastern Conference. Based on his performances throughout the tournament, James was awarded the MVP following their victory against the Pacers.
But for Anthony Davis, who was second to James for the MVP title, he ended up cementing his name in the history books of the Lakers. He became one of three Lakers players to record over 40 points, 20 rebounds, and 5 assists in a game. Davis now has his name seated next to Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain.
Anthony Davis pushes the Lakers to a positive path
The In-Season Tournament most definitely felt like a playoff bracket. LA made it feel like it was the NBA Finals with their performance last night. They were able to seal the deal against the Pacers with a 26-point lead. The Pacers weren’t entirely in full form either which worked in LA’s favor. James, who won the In-Season Tournament MVP Award tallied 24 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists. Austin Reaves also worked hard on the court finishing with 28 points.
However, Anthony Davis was the most dominant player on the court during the game. He scored 41 points along with 20 rebounds, and 5 assists. He also recorded 4 blocks and shot 69.2% from the field without attempting three-pointers. With Davis showing his true colors, the Lakers can reach beyond what is expected out of them this season. All they have to do is carry on with the same momentum to potentially hold the Larry O’Brien Trophy.