Los Angeles Lakers earned their third victory of the season on Sunday night as Anthony Davis starred, but it was reportedly the Green Bay Packers that helped inspire success.
The Packers ended a brutal run of five defeats with an overtime win against the Dallas Cowboys to keep their season alive, with rookie wide receiver Christian Watson scoring three touchdowns in a breakthrough performance. The Packers have struggled this season and went into the game with a 3-6 record.
The Lakers have also struggled, moving to 3-10 after beating the Brooklyn Nets 116-103 on Sunday night. Both teams are sleeping giants this season, and both were suffering a streak of five consecutive losses, but it was after the Packers won that Davis was raring to go against the Nets.
Davis scored 37 points against the Nets and recorded an insane 18 rebounds as he outclassed Kevin Durant on the opposite side. The Lakers are in need of some motivation right now after a dreadful start, but it appears for Davis, a Packers win was all he needed.
"I was watching the Packers game before and Aaron Rodgers threw a slant to Allen Lazard, he ran for like 40 yards," Davis said after the game. "And he started [screaming] and flexing and all that, and it got me some motivation before the game."
The Lakers were also without LeBron James, who picked up an injury against the Los Angeles Clippers. Davis stepped up to be the main man, and also reflected on how that drove him on to perform.
"Just trying to dominate. Be dominant," Davis added. "Knowing that we had to get this win, knowing that a lot of guys -- especially with [LeBron James] out -- a lot of guys lean on me to try to get the job done."
Head coach Darvin Ham was understandably ecstatic with Davis' showing, and revealed how the star claimed to 'have his back' during an uncertain time without James. "Had a real good conversation with [Davis] after our last game, our last loss," Ham said.
"And he just said, 'I got your back, Coach.' And that was huge for me being a first-time head coach and having a player of that magnitude just constantly try and do everything you ask him to do."
Davis' points tally and number of rebounds were both season highs for the power forward / centre, and his team-mates saw a leader in him. Patrick Beverley was stunned by Davis' performance, and said that everyone followed his lead.
"AD played like a monster tonight," Lakers point guard Patrick Beverley said. "And everyone played off of him."
