NBA Briefs | Anthony Davis’ historic night, Trae Young’s freak injury
Anthony Davis was brought in as the man to lead Los Angeles to the promise land, he showed why he is the right person for the job.
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When the LA Lakers got Anthony Davis in the off-season, the team definitely got their man.
But the six-time All-Star went berserk to rewrite the record books with an incredible performance.
Playing the Memphis Grizzlies, the Lakers ran away 120-91 winners but he was on fire, scoring 40 points and pulling down 20 rebounds.
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It was his first for the Lakers but fourth such stat line of his career.
It was also the Lakers’ first since Shaquille O’Neal did so way back in 2003 against the Boston Celtics.
Making Davis’ efforts all the more remarkable is the fact he did so in less than 31 minutes of game time, making him the quickest player in the history of the league to achieve the feat.
His 26 made free throws not only set a Lakers’ franchise record, but it put him in an exclusive club with the NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain.
Chamberlain is the only other person to register a 40-20 game with 25+ free throws on March 2, 1962, the day he set the NBA’s most untouchable record when he scored 100 points in a single game.
Jesus! pic.twitter.com/Onj5KW8ILi
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) October 30, 2019
Before Anthony Davis put up 40/20 tonight, Elgin Baylor was the last #Lakers player to achieve the feat in 33 or fewer mins when he did it with 46 points and 22 rebounds in 1961.
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) October 30, 2019
Per @Lakers Anthony Davis has now set a new franchise record with 26 made free throws. The previous high of 25 was set by Dwight Howard in 2013. #Lakers #LakeShow
— Michael J. Duarte (@michaeljduarte) October 30, 2019
Anthony Davis has 40 points and 20 rebounds in 30 minutes. Nobody has ever done that in 30 minutes or less.
— Zach Harper (@talkhoops) October 30, 2019
Also, no F or C ever recorded more than 22 free throws in more than 90% until... Anthony Davis. The previous record was achieved by @chrisbosh with 22/24, and Detlef Schremplf with 22/23https://t.co/F2FjwgV7kt#AnthonyDavis #LakeShow
— Eran Soroka (@sorokman) October 30, 2019
Lonzo Ball started over half the season for Lakers last yr averaging more than 30 mins per game. He had 20 made free throws for the entire season.
— Tom Byrne (@1TomByrne) October 30, 2019
Anthony Davis had 26 Tuesday vs Grizzlies
Even more impressive, 90 minutes before the game Lakers coach Frank Vogel still wasn’t sure if Davis would miss the game with a shoulder injury.
LeBron James added 23 points for the Lakers, who are off to their first 3-1 start since winning their first eight in 2010.
Davis was obviously pleased with the result.
“It’s an honour, great company, and to be a part of this franchise and do something special and to be on the list with those legends means a lot to me,” he said. “But what’s more important, we got the win.”
LeBron James was also
“I don’t even think he’s scratched the surface yet,” James said. “I think we’re still getting comfortable with one another, I think he’s still getting comfortable out on the floor, but when he’s attacking like that — the guy shoots 80s, 90s from the free throw line – that’s easy money for him and it’s great for our defence as well.”
The fans were also thrilled by the result.
Me looking at all the Lakers fans that were saying “We shouldn’t trade all our young talent for the 26 year old Anthony Davis†🤦ðŸ½â€â™‚ï¸ pic.twitter.com/SuRPusjG3N
— Richard Jefferson (@Rjeff24) October 30, 2019
Anthony Davis might be the best basketball player in the world right now.
— illy. album nov 15. (@iLLvibeMusic) October 30, 2019
Anthony Davis #beastmode
— Rayan Lawrence (@RayanLawrence) October 30, 2019
Anthony Davis went CRAZY tonight! 😩💥 40pts, 20rebs...AND sat out the entire fourth quarter! woooow! #nba
— Chicago Bulls fan, thru thick & thin! ðŸ˜ðŸƒ (@RamajEroc) October 30, 2019
— with AP
SICKENING FREAK ACCIDENT ROCKS HAWKS
Altanta Hawks sensation Trae Young has left the game against the Miami Heat early after a sickening ankle injury.
Early in the second quarter, the 21-year-old went for a lay up, before landing on the foot of Miami Heat’s Justise Winslow.
The youngster was in serious pain and it looks likely to stall his brilliant start to the year.
The Altanta Hawks youngsters has 26.8 points per game, five rebounds and 7.2 assists in a brilliant start the year.
The reigning Eastern Conference player of the week – who had 102 points in Atlanta’s first three games – finished with five points in 11 minutes.
Trae Young hurts his ankle and helped off the court pic.twitter.com/yGqh3GgpJN
— The Render (@TheRenderNBA) October 30, 2019
Reports have since come out that it’s not that serious and he wanted to come back into the game but he was kept off the court for precautionary measures.
When he went off with the injury, the Heat’s Jimmy Butler took over, making his first four shots and scored 21 in his Miami debut.
Rookie Tyler Herro also scored 29 as the Heat ran away with a 112-97 win
John Collins scored 30 for Atlanta, including a career-best five 3-pointers, and Jabari Parker finished with 12 for the Hawks.
Butler missed the first three games of the season while celebrating the birth of his daughter Rylee. He was 5 for 11 from the floor, and went 10 for 15 from the line. As a team, Miami was 33 for 45 from the line – compared with 16 for 24 by Atlanta at the stripe.
Herro set a Heat record for points off the bench by a rookie, topping the mark of 28 set by Michael Beasley on March 4, 2009. And Herro and Dragic became the ninth Heat duo all-time to have 20-point games off the Miami bench on the same night.
— with AP
Originally published as NBA Briefs | Anthony Davis’ historic night, Trae Young’s freak injury