Lakers’ Anthony Davis Scores 50 Points Like Nobody Else in the NBA
Following months of anticipation, the Los Angeles Lakers finally completed a blockbuster trade over the summer to acquire star forward Anthony Davis. The deal has quickly worked out in their favor, with Davis continuing to take his game to greater heights on the court in his first campaign in Los Angeles. The All-Star forward put another stellar performance to his resume in the Lakers’ comfortable win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday night.
Anthony Davis’ hot start with Lakers
Once the Lakers landed Davis, there has been a significant buzz around the franchise about what lies ahead.
Los Angeles had been eyeing a deal to acquire the 26-year-old, which finally materialized over the summer. It has been nothing short of an impressive start for the Lakers and Davis as it has equated to a tremendous amount of success on the court.
The All-Star big man has been a tremendous factor on both ends of the court currently averaging 27.7 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.7 blocks, and 1.5 steals while shooting 50.7 percent from the floor. The immediate cohesion that he and LeBron James have had on the court together has built a strong foundation for the rest of the roster to play off on any given night.
Davis certainly provided just that on Sunday night against the Timberwolves as he put together another unmatched monster performance.
Anthony Davis’ unique NBA record
Davis quickly has engrained himself as the Lakers’ top-scoring option behind his tremendous offensive production through the first quarter of the season.
He significantly added to that on Sunday night as he dropped a season-high 50 points on 20-of-29 shooting from the floor and a perfect 10-of-10 from the free-throw line against the Timberwolves. According to Tom Ziller of SBNation, it marked the third time that he had at least 50 points without a single made 3-pointer, which he’s responsible for all but one such outing in the last decade.
Players have scored 50 without a single made three just four times this decade … and three of those have been by Davis! To put it in perspective, the median number of threes made in all 50-point games from last season and this year is six.
This feat also saw him become the third-fastest player (23 games) in Lakers’ history to record a 50-point game. He was also the fourth player in team history to reach that mark since 2000 joining James, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal.
Davis has been an absolute offensive force with the Lakers that has seen him excel playing alongside James with significant success in pick and roll situation. Meanwhile, his entire versatility as a score has been full display on a nightly basis.
Lakers’ 2019-20 season outlook
The Lakers have been on a blazing start to begin the season, pushing their way out to the best mark in the league at a 21-3 record in the first 24 games played.
Los Angeles has played remarkably well despite having a nearly fully reconstructed roster. They have honed in as one of the top defensive teams in the NBA anchored by Davis’ play with them ranking sixth giving up 104.6 points per contest, seventh with opponents shooting 43.4% from the floor, fifth with opponents shooting 33.8 percent from beyond the arc, and third causing 15.8 turnovers per game.
The Lakers look to have the recipe that could take them on a deep run through the playoffs. However, Los Angeles will be tested this month with a tough five-game road trip on tap next that includes facing the likes of the Milwaukee Bucks, Miami Heat, and Indiana Pacers. They will finish December with matchups against the Denver Nuggets, L.A. Clippers, Portland Trail Blazers and Dallas Mavericks.
These next few weeks will be telling of the type of team the Lakers truly have in place.
