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LeBron James, Anthony Davis Lead Lakers to Win over Carmelo Anthony's Blazers
December 7, 2019
The Los Angeles Lakers won their 13th game in 14 tries as they defeated the host Portland Trail Blazers 136-113 on Friday at Moda Center.
Anthony Davis led the way with 39 points and nine rebounds, and LeBron James posted 31 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Damian Lillard led the Blazers with 29 points in defeat.
Portland suffered a significant blow when Rodney Hood suffered a season-ending torn left Achilles tendon. Hood entered the game averaging 11.5 points and 3.5 rebounds.
For the Lakers, point guard Rajon Rondo exited with a left hamstring strain and did not return.
The 20-3 Lakers kept pace with the Milwaukee Bucks for the league's best record and have now opened up a 3.5-game advantage over the Dallas Mavericks for first in the Western Conference.
The Blazers fell to 9-14 with the loss, but the team has played far better of late by virtue of a 4-1 mark in their five games leading into the Lakers contest.
Notable Performances
Lakers F/C Anthony Davis: 39 points, 9 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 steals
Lakers G/F LeBron James: 31 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds
Lakers F Kyle Kuzma: 15 points, 6 rebounds
Blazers PG Damian Lillard: 29 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds
Blazers C Hassan Whiteside: 17 points, 10 rebounds, 3 steals
Blazers F Carmelo Anthony: 15 points, 3 steals
Anthony Davis Slides into the MVP Discussion After Dominant Performance
Los Angeles Lakers big man Anthony Davis looks destined for a host of individual accolades by season's end, with an All-NBA First Team placement and Defensive Player of the Year honors both possibilities.
Perhaps an MVP award should at least be in the discussion after Friday, in which Davis dominated on both ends.
On offense, Davis led all scorers with 39 points but did so at an efficient clip, shooting 12-of-20 from the field and 13-of-15 from the free-throw line.
He also knocked down a pair of three-pointers for good measure, including one that resulted in a four-point play.
Davis' offensive versatility shined Friday, ranging from his work on pick-and-rolls and the fast break to individual post-up moves down low:
Lakers reporter Mike Trudell offered his praise:
On defense, Davis amassed three blocks and two steals and helped the Lakers dominate the glass. His efforts only continue the Defensive Player of the Year conversation of late, with Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer notably giving his early vote to the big man on Dec. 4.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo deserves to be the MVP front-runner based on his individual performance (No. 1 with a 33.9 player efficiency rating) and his team's success (20-3 record, tied for the league's best with the Lakers).
However, Davis isn't that far behind, ranking fourth in PER (28.4) and win shares per 48 minutes (.271) entering Friday, per Basketball Reference. He's also helped the Lakers rebound from a 37-45 record last year, and now, the team is on pace for 71 wins.
Davis and the Lakers still have 59 regular-season games to play, but it's difficult to keep The Brow out of the MVP discussion after watching him dominate Friday.
What's Next?
Both teams will be home Sunday evening.
The Blazers will host the Oklahoma City Thunder at 9 p.m. ET, and the Lakers will return to Staples Center to face the Minnesota Timberwolves.