LeBron James scored 18 points in his comeback, Anthony Davis finished with 40 points and 16 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 116-110 on Sunday.
After missing the previous two games due to a left foot ailment, James finished with 34 minutes played, eight rebounds, eight assists, and five turnovers. For personal reasons, he spent the majority of last week away from the squad.
For Los Angeles, Austin Reaves scored 19 points. The Lakers led by 23 points in the second half and never fell behind.
For Memphis, who had won four straight games, Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 25 points. Luke Kennard scored 12 points, Zach Edey scored 13 points and pulled down 10 rebounds, and Ja Morant scored 20 points.
Takeaways
Grizzlies: Despite starting the game with the best scoring offense in the NBA, Memphis fell down 64-46 at the half and was behind by at least two possessions for the whole of the second half.
Lakers: Davis still leads the team, but James’ comeback gave Los Angeles new life. In the first half, the 31-year-old power forward finished with 10 rebounds and 22 points. Due to a shoulder injury, he exited the game for a short while in the third quarter. He returned in the fourth quarter and scored 12 crucial points in the closing minutes.
Key moment
Just over two minutes into the first quarter, James scored his first points with a running one-handed dunk. On the Lakers’ next offensive drive, he quickly followed up with a block and an additional tip-in basket to put Los Angeles ahead 9–2.
Key stat
In three of his last four games, Davis has scored at least 30 points and pulled down 10 rebounds.
Up next
Thursday night marks the return of both teams to action. The Lakers visit Sacramento, while the Grizzlies host Golden State.
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