Lakers’ Anthony Davis dominates T-Wolves with 27 points, 25 rebounds

Anthony Davis had 27 points, a season-high 25 rebounds and a career-high seven steals while leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a 120-109 victory over the short-handed Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday night. .

Davis added five assists and three blocked shots in one of the most prolific games of his decorated career. The nine-time All-Star delighted in a Minnesota lineup that lost its two big men and four starters to injuries, grabbing 21 rebounds in the second half alone and leading a 21-4 comeback entering the fourth quarter while The Lakers were moving away. to their twelfth victory in 17 games.

LeBron James had 29 points, nine assists and eight rebounds, while Austin Reaves added 19 points as the Lakers defeated another top team following victories over Oklahoma City and Milwaukee in their six-game home series. Los Angeles (36-30) is six games above .500 for the first time this season.

Naz Reid scored 25 points and made five 3-pointers in his first start of the season for Minnesota, which made 16 of its season-high 46 3-point attempts. Reid had his second straight standout performance after scoring a career-high 34 against Cleveland last Friday, but the Wolves’ depleted interior defense couldn’t stop Davis without Rudy Gobert or Karl-Anthony Towns.

Anthony Edwards also scored 25 points for the Wolves, who have lost four of six. Minnesota missed nine straight shots early in the fourth quarter as Los Angeles pulled away.

James returned after sitting out due to injury for the ninth time this season as the Lakers stunned Milwaukee 123-122 on Friday night behind a 44-point performance from D’Angelo Russell. Davis injured his left shoulder during that game in a collision with Giannis Antetokounmpo, but was healthy enough to return.

Edwards played with an ankle injury, but Gobert sat out with tightness in his right hamstring.

Gobert, who missed his third game of the season, was fined $100,000 by the NBA on Sunday for a series of transgressions that called into question the integrity of NBA referees on Friday.

Towns missed his third straight game for Minnesota since being diagnosed with a torn meniscus in his left knee. The big man will likely be sidelined until the postseason after surgery.

Kyle Anderson also sat out with right shoulder soreness, and Monte Morris missed his second straight game with a strained left hamstring.

Lakers forward Cam Reddish was ruled out with a sprained right ankle. It was the second additional game he missed since he returned from a month-long injury layoff in late February. The Lakers will play next Wednesday against the Sacramento Kings.