LeBron James #6 and Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers look on during a time out against the Houston Rockets during the fourth quarter at Toyota Center on April 02, 2023 in Houston, Texas. Bob Levey/Getty Images/AFP
Anthony Davis recorded his third 40-point game of the season, LeBron James posted his second triple-double and Rui Hachimura scored 20 points off the bench as the Los Angeles Lakers rolled to a 134-109 victory over the Houston Rockets on Sunday, their sixth in seven games.
Davis tallied 27 of his game-high 40 points in a dominant first half, shooting 11-of-16 from the floor prior to the intermission while grabbing six rebounds and blocking two shots. It marked Davis’ fourth game eclipsing 30 points in his last five starts, and his early thrust provided the Lakers (40-38) the momentum needed to explode out of the gate.
Davis finished 15-of-20 from the floor and 10-of-12 from the free-throw line. He also snagged nine rebounds.
???? 40 POINTS for Anthony Davis
???? 15-20 FGM
???? 6th win in 7 games for LAL@AntDavis23 leads the charge as the @Lakers keep pace in the packed Western Conference! pic.twitter.com/fQWljH6RPD— NBA (@NBA) April 3, 2023
James facilitated with aplomb, producing a team-leading 11 assists in addition to his 18 points and 10 rebounds. Hachimura added his highest point total since joining the Lakers prior to the trade deadline, shooting 10-of-14 from the floor while delivering 12 rebounds and three blocks.
With the Rockets (19-60) providing little resistance defensively, the Lakers shot 55.9 percent despite missing 21 of 30 3-pointers and losing guard D’Angelo Russell to left foot soreness at halftime.
The Rockets’ starting backcourt of Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green combined for 44 points with Green adding seven assists. Alperen Sengun posted his 26th double-double with 18 points and 15 rebounds while dishing out five assists. Sengun added three blocks and two steals.
LeBron James ties Jason Kidd for the 4th-most triple-doubles ever, with 107!
18 PTS
10 REB
11 AST@Lakers have won 6 of 7 ???? pic.twitter.com/d7n85LiqwT— NBA (@NBA) April 3, 2023
The Lakers assisted on 10 of their 15 first-quarter field goals, scored 24 points in the paint and six in transition while racing to a 35-21 lead by the end of the opening period. Davis had 13 points in the frame and added 14 more in the second quarter, although the Rockets proved up to the challenge with their 39-point second.
Houston trailed by as many as 19 points in the first half but sliced that margin to 68-60 on Porter’s 3-pointer with 32.0 seconds remaining.
But Davis converted a layup that provided the Lakers a 10-point halftime lead, and when Hachimura slalomed through the Houston defense in the final five seconds of the third, his buzzer-beating layup pushed the Lakers’ lead to 101-83.
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