NBA regular season

Anthony Davis erupts for 40 as Lakers rout Rockets to stretch win streak

Reuters

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Anthony Davis erupts for 40 as Lakers rout Rockets to stretch win streak

ONE-TWO PUNCH. Anthony Davis and LeBron James guide the Lakers back into playoff contention.

Erik Williams/USA TODAY Sports/Reuters

LeBron James backstops Anthony Davis with a triple-double as they steer the Lakers to their third straight win

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, April 2 (Monday, April 3, Manila time), 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 6 rebounds and tallying 2 blocks. 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 9 rebounds.

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 3 blocks.

With the Rockets (19-60) providing little resistance defensively, the Lakers shot 55.9% despite missing 21 of 30 three-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 7 assists. Alperen Sengun posted his 26th double-double with 18 points and 15 rebounds while dishing out 5 assists. Sengun added 3 blocks and 2 steals.

The Lakers assisted on 10 of their 15 first-quarter field goals, scored 24 points in the paint and 6 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 three-pointer with 32 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. – Rappler.com

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