Once the Los Angeles Lakers got past the young and feisty Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the NBA playoffs in six games, their season was bordering on a miracle.
Suddenly, the bar had been raised, and now they had a new challenge: defeat the defending world champion Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference semifinals.
Many in the national media were picking Stephen Curry and company to prevail. Thus it was of the utmost importance for L.A. to steal Game 1 in San Francisco.
Anthony Davis came out with a vengeance to help his team accomplish that goal. He scored 14 first-quarter points to help the Lakers overcome an early deficit. By halftime, he had 23 points on 9-of-10 shooting and 11 rebounds.
The Lakers built a double-digit lead in the third quarter thanks to Davis’ dominance, and it was enough for them to hold on for a 117-112 victory. The superstar big man turned in a truly remarkable performance: 30 points, 23 rebounds, five rebounds and four blocked shots.
It was the first time a Laker had 30 points and 20 rebounds in a playoff game since Shaquille O’Neal in 2004. In addition, Davis became the only player other than Tim Duncan to produce 30 points, 20 rebounds, five assists and four blocks in a playoff game.
Yet again, Davis had made his presence felt big time, and there was virtually nothing his opponents could do about it.
