The primary objective of the Los Angeles Lakers’ roster overhaul at the trade deadline was to create a rotation that could alleviate LeBron James and Anthony Davis’ workload.
However, Davis’ availability and dominance ultimately determine the Lakers’ fortunes, regardless of their roster depth or James’ transcendence. Their potential is limitless when he is both, as he was in Friday’s 123-111 Lakers victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Davis posted 38 focuses, 17 bounce back and two blocks in the triumph, riding out a lower leg injury to lead the Lakers (39-38) to their fifth dominate in six matches and into seventh spot in the Western Gathering. It is abundantly clear that Davis is at his best for the Lakers, who will face the Houston Rockets on Sunday in the second game of a four-game road trip. James led all scorers with 18 points and 10 rebounds.
Since adding Malik Beasley, Rui Hachimura, D’Angelo Russell, and Jarred Vanderbilt, the Lakers have struggled to maintain momentum, despite their recent run of victories. Their progress has been slowed by injuries, but Davis was the one who moved them forward on Friday when all hands were on deck.
By defeating the Timberwolves, the Lakers moved closer to qualifying for the play-in tournament, but they still have a chance of moving up to sixth in the West and staying out of the tournament altogether. Reversing the outcome of their most recent trip to Houston, a 114-110 defeat on March 15 that saw Davis and James sidelined due to a fight, is the first step.
Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green, Rockets guards, scored more than 30 points for the second time this season and the third time in their previous two seasons together. Green scored 32 points and had five assists in Houston’s 121-115 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Friday, snapping a seven-game losing streak. Porter had 33 points and four steals, while Green had five points and five assists.
