Anthony Davis scored a game-high 28 points Wednesday night for the visiting Los Angeles Lakers, who held off the New York Knicks 100-92.
Davis was 7 of 14 from the field and 13 of 13 from the free-throw line, matching his most conversions without a miss in a game this season. He also was 13 for 13 against the New Orleans Pelicans on Jan. 3.
LeBron James had 21 points and six rebounds, five assists and five steals for the Lakers, who won for the 11th time in 13 games. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (13 points) and Kyle Kuzma (10) each scored in double figures off the bench for Los Angeles.
Marcus Morris Sr. scored 20 points and Damyean Dotson came off the bench to add 17 for the Knicks, who have lost four of their past five and are 2-9 in a stretch beginning with a loss to Phoenix on Jan 3. Julius Randle had 16 points and Taj Gibson 12 for New York, which got 12 rebounds from Mitchell Robinson.
The Lakers led 28-25 at the end of the first quarter before the Knicks opened the second quarter on a 12-2 run capped by consecutive 3-pointers by Dotson. James responded by scoring nine points in an 11-4 run that gave Los Angeles a 42-40 lead with 5:11 left in the second quarter. The teams were never separated by more than two points before winding up tied at halftime at 48.
Reggie Bullock's 3-pointer 40 seconds into the third gave the Knicks their final lead at 52-50. A layup by JaVale McGee gave the Lakers the lead for good at 56-54 and keyed a 7-0 run by Los Angeles.
The Lakers scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter to open their biggest lead at 83-70. The Knicks got as close as six points twice in the final minute on two baskets by Randle, but Alex Caruso hit two free throws with 20.7 seconds left and New York's last hope evaporated when Dotson missed a turnaround jumper 10 seconds later.
--Field Level Media
L.A. Lakers | New York | |
Anthony Davis 28 | Scoring | Marcus Morris Sr. 20 |
Anthony Davis 5 | Assists | Elfrid Payton 9 |
Dwight Howard 12 | Rebounds | Mitchell Robinson 12 |
Anthony Davis 13 | Free Throws Made | Julius Randle 4 |
LeBron James 5 | Steals | Damyean Dotson 1 |
Dwight Howard 3 | Blocks | Elfrid Payton 2 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
L.A. Lakers | 100 | 43.9 | 9-27 | 19-28 | 18 | 43 | 8 | 13 | 10 |
New York | 92 | 40.9 | 11-34 | 9-13 | 24 | 47 | 4 | 4 | 17 |