LA Lakers 96-95 Boston Celtics: 5 Hits and flops as Anthony Davis impresses after returning from injury
The LA Lakers pulled up their socks down the stretch to down the Boston Celtics 96-95. The Purple and Gold dominated the early minutes of the fourth quarter to drift away after trailing by as many as eight points late in the third. The Eastern Conference outfit then rallied back but missed two game-winning shots as Frank Vogel's men held on for the win.
This matchup was all about the dynamic duos on either team. Anthony Davis passed a late fitness test and returned to the court to carry the offense for LA Lakers alongside LeBron James. Meanwhile, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum ran the show for the Boston Celtics.
Some key performances helped either side's cause in this close tie. However, not every player was able to perform to expectations. On that note, let us look at the five hits and flops from the LA Lakers' win over Boston Celtics.
#1 Hit: Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics)
Jayson Tatum hasn't really lost a step despite sitting out over two weeks due to COVID and he was in rhythm from the get-go again today. Tatum played a key role in getting Boston Celtics back into the game when the LA Lakers rushed off to a 10-point lead in the first half.
Tatum scored eight points in the fourth quarter including two clutch buckets to cut Boston's deficit to one with seconds left on the game clock. He ended the night with 30 points and nine rebounds on 12-of-18 shooting from the field.
#2 Flop: LeBron James (LA Lakers)
LeBron James continued his inconsistency from the field after struggling in the second half in the previous game. LeBron had 21 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists on the night but only went 7-of-17 from the field.
King James was uncharacteristically careless with the ball and had five turnovers. He did pick up his performance in the second half but missed several shots late in the fourth and that allowed the Boston Celtics to put the pressure on LA Lakers.
#3 Hit: Anthony Davis (LA Lakers)
Anthony Davis looked impressive for the LA Lakers after returning from a knee contusion that almost ruled him out of this game too. AD made the most of his size advantage against Boston Celtics' Daniel Theis to rush to a quick 12 points in the first quarter. He finished the night with 27 points and 14 rebounds.
Davis fizzled out a bit on the offensive end and only managed a solitary basket in the fourth. He still did a great job protecting the rim and crashed the boards hard.
#4 Flop: Kemba Walker (Boston Celtics)
It's merely been a few weeks since Kemba Walker returned from his knee injury and he's understandably had his struggles. Walker simply couldn't buy a bucket against the LA Lakers and shot a paltry 1-of-13 from the field.
Walker had a chance to win the game for the Boston Celtics but like the rest of night, his mid-range jumper hit the rim and not the net. He also had six rebounds and four assists but his poor shooting saw him play just 28 minutes.
#5 Hit: Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics)
Jaylen Brown continued to build a case for his first NBA All-Star selection with another solid game from the field against the LA Lakers. Brown leads the Boston Celtics in scoring this season and managed 28 points on 68.4% shooting on Saturday.
Brown scored 20 of these points in the second and third quarter. His efforts not only brought the Boston Celtics level, it also gave them a commanding lead heading into the fourth. He did take a back seat on the offensive end down the stretch though.
Also read: LA Lakers 96-95 Boston Celtics - Twitter in a frenzy as Anthony Davis explodes to secure a comeback victory