Years after the Los Angeles Lakers won the big one inside the Bubble in Orlando, fans have constantly seen Anthony Davis go down with a number of injuries. But after their recent game against the Milwaukee Bucks , everyone will have more reason to be excited about him, especially after replicating a feat Kobe Bryant did more than a decade ago.
In a battle between two talented bigs , the Lakers eventually got the 128-124 double-overtime win over Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. Davis led his team by posting 34 points, 23 rebounds, two assists, two steals, and four blocks in 51 minutes and 52 seconds on the court. Both D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves stepped up in the absence of LeBron James by notching 29 points each.
The Bucks, meanwhile, had the Greek Freak post 29 points, 21 rebounds, and 11 assists in 46 minutes on the court. Damian Lillard added 27 points and eight assists, while Malik Beasley made 21 points and three rebounds for Milwaukee.
The win helped Los Angeles strengthen its hold of the ninth seed in the Western Conference. The loss, however, has placed Milwaukee nearer to the third-place Cleveland Cavaliers in the East with just two games behind them.
Los Angeles Lakers Star Anthony Davis Achieves Feat Not Seen Since Kobe Bryant in 2012
Before the LeBron era in Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant was inarguably the biggest draw of the franchise. His love for the game, not to mention the tenacity that drove him to win games, was clearly seen in 2012 when he went for 52 minutes in a game. Now, Davis has replicated that feat in their recent win against the Bucks.
“Anthony Davis is the 1st Laker to play 52 minutes in a game since Kobe Bryant in 2012, via @LakersReporter,” as per Hoop Central’s tweet after the game.
This season, the nine-time All-Star has played in 68 games, the most since his run with the New Orleans Pelicans during the 2016-17 season. During that period, Davis has averaged 24.7 points, 12.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.2 steals, and 2.4 blocks per game. More importantly, the Lakers’ All-Star has stayed healthy to boost his team’s chances of making the playoffs this year.
With over two weeks remaining in the regular season, the Lakers will have to string some wins together to ensure their place in the postseason. For that to happen, Davis must stay healthy and be consistent in his performance on the floor. Hopefully, he gets to do both in the coming days.
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