Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers beat Rudy Gobert and the Utah Jazz in a 116-108 win behind the domination of the big man superstar.
The Los Angeles Lakers have two wins and one loss so far in the NBA bubble. The majority of their games are essentially just scrimmages because they currently hold the best record in the Western Conference. As such, they do not essentially need to protect their seeding because there is no actual home-court advantage.
Nonetheless, these seeding games are still important for them to figure out the best strategy before entering the Playoffs. The Lakers’ two main go-to guys are pretty clear with Lebron James and Anthony Davis. These two superstars have shown what they are capable of after beating the Jazz. It’s the supporting cast of the Lakers that need to step up.
Anthony Davis manhandles the Jazz
Anthony Davis played an unusual 38 minutes in their game against the Jazz. In that outing, he posted monster all-around stats of 42 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block. He also shot an efficient 46% from the field and 50% from behind the arc. With the super performance of Davis, the Lakers clinch the best record in the West.
Real laker fans remember the losing seasons. Here ya go #1 😤🔒
— kuz (@kylekuzma) August 4, 2020
He forced Rudy Gobert out of his office in the paint to open the lanes for his teammates throughout the game. To seal the game, Davis posted a four-point play from the top of the arc when Rudy Gobert challenged him for the shot.
Outside of Davis, the production mainly came from Lebron James with little help from Caldwell-Pope and Dwight Howard. Unfortunately, the team still has to find its reliable third scoring punch to take away the load from Davis and James.
Frank Vogel on the integration of Dion Waiters and J.R. Smith video courtesy of the @Lakers: pic.twitter.com/mJYuNndiOO
— The Lakers Review (@TheLakersReview) July 29, 2020
Otherwise, they could end up getting hurt because of the pressure that the Playoffs bring. Davis hasn’t had much success in the Playoffs in his stint with the Pelicans. As such, his ride to the postseason will be a new territory for him. He’ll need all the help he can.
Scattered scoring for the Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers is a deep team. Their late signing of J.R. Smith and Dion Waiters gives them veteran ball handlers and shooters that can spread the floor. However, Frank Vogel still has to find a way to utilize them while at the same time trimming down their line up for the Playoffs.
Waiters played 18 minutes with 7 points, 3 assists, and 2 steals against the Jazz. Smith, on the other hand, only played 14 minutes while only posting 4 points.
Image from Undisputed FS1/ YouTube thumbnail
