LOS ANGELES — Anthony Davis, the Lakers' quiet superstar, the one more ready with a sarcastic counterpunch than the lead blow, flexed his muscles and howled into the crisp air.
His baseline drive in the final minute put the Lakers ahead by six points, moving them to the brink of what would be a 113-105 win.
Still shorthanded, the Lakers quickly built a 20-point lead against the NBA's defending champions in the first quarter Sunday at Crypto.com Arena. Then they spent the rest of the game desperately trying to hold on to the smallest slices of it.
