How insanely bonkers was Los Angeles Lakers’ towering titan, Anthony Davis, in their 120-109 victory stomping the Minnesota Timberwolves at home on Sunday?
Well, picture this: He was so good, he pulled off a stunt that’s been MIA in the NBA since the era of Hakeem Olajuwon’s sweet moves back in the day when cassette tapes were hip and mullets were majestic. Davis wasn’t even a twinkle in the basketball gods’ eyes when The Dream pulled off this trick.
According to OptaSTATS:
“Anthony Davis (27 points, 25 rebounds & 10 defensive ninja moves) is now the second NBA player in the last 40 seasons with at least 25 points, 25 rebounds, and 10 defensive wizardry (steals + blocks) in a single game, joining Hakeem Olajuwon (32 points, 25 rebounds & 13 mystical plays vs. Magic in December 1989).”
Davis was like a man possessed against the Timberwolves. With Minnesota’s big men missing in action thanks to Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns’ vanishing acts, the Lakers made sure Davis had the ball more often than not.
He scored 27 points, shooting 9/17 from the floor, and nailed 9/13 free throws. When he wasn’t dropping buckets, he was snatching rebounds like a kid in a candy store. He snagged 15 defensive boards and 10 offensive ones. On the season, the former Kentucky Wildcat is averaging a crazy 24.8 points on 55.5 percent shooting, 12.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per outing.
But hold your popcorn because Davis wasn’t the only Lakers’ player throwing down against the Timberwolves. LeBron James and Austin Reaves decided to join the party with 29 and 19 points respectively.
Sure, Davis might not be summoning this basketball sorcery every game, but the Lakers need him to bring the magic consistently as they charge towards those coveted playoff spots. After this win, the Lakers soared to 36-30, ranking ninth in the Western Conference standings. They might still be two games short of the top six, but at least they’re heating up at the right time, ready to blitz through the final stretch of the regular season.