In LeBron James’ first game back from the All-Star break, the Lakers secured their seventh victory in nine games despite Victor Wembanyama becoming only the 15th player with a “5×5” game in the history of the NBA. Anthony Davis struggled initially but had a dominant all-around performance in the Los Angeles Lakers 123-118 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night.
Davis Secures Win & Wembanyama Writes Name in History Books with “5×5” Game
Victor Wembanyama scored 13 points and three rebounds while drawing two fouls from Davis in the game’s first six minutes. By halftime, Wembanyama was already up to his season average of 20 points. Anthony Davis bounced back and finished the night with 28 points and 13 rebounds while shooting 10-14 from the field and 8-10 from the free throw line while sitting out the entire fourth quarter of the second game in a back-to-back set. Austin Reaves had a near double-double with 10 points and nine assists, while D’Angelo Russell, on his 28th birthday, was the third star for Los Angeles with 22 points and six assists. Rui Hachimura, who has been the new addition to the starting lineup, added 17 points for the Lakers, making 3 of four shots from deep and having an impressive shooting efficiency of 64% from the field.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis were the heartbeat in the Lakers' win against the Spurs!
Anthony Davis: 28 PTS, 13 REB
LeBron James: 30 PTS, 9 AST pic.twitter.com/jVQTX11Ihf— NBA (@NBA) February 24, 2024
Victor Wembanyama finished with 27 points, ten rebounds, eight assists, five steals, and five blocks in the first “5×5” Game since Jusuf Nurkic in 2019. After the game, Wembanyama was informed he was the only player other than Michael Jordan in 1987 to post five steals and five blocks in consecutive games, with Victor saying, “I wonder if he did it in wins, not losses. To me, it’s secondary. Hopefully, in the future, we can look back & think this is a good performance. As of today, I can’t be satisfied with a loss.” Wembanyama’s teammates Jeremy Sochan had 15 points and 13 rebounds, while Malaki Branham added 17 points for a Spurs team that has lost three straight and 10 of 11. San Antonio is currently 1-6 on their nine-game annual Rodeo Road Trip. Darvin Ham told Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich after the game, “The thing that impresses me the most about Wembanyama is he’s talented, multi-faced, highly skilled. I think his biggest trait and quality that you can’t teach or coach is his competitive nature. He’s a kid, and he makes winning plays all the time. You see how he plays with his team. He’s trying to make the game easier for the others out there with him and defensively changing shots, blocking shots, coming up with strong rebounds, but again, those two intangibles and ability to stay that competitive and also make winning plays.”
Love you Pop!! pic.twitter.com/tywmQsFdjh
— LeBron James (@KingJames) February 24, 2024
LeBron James returned for his first game action since the NBA All-Star break in the Lakers win. James, along with his seven rebounds and nine assists, led both teams in scoring with 30 points, leaving him just 102 points away from becoming the first-ever member of the 40,000-point club. After the Spurs game, missing the Warriors game the night prior, Darvin Ham, on LeBron James being back, said, “I thought it was great to have him out there. He powered through some good stretches and some tough stretches that were self-inflicted, but all in all, when we needed him to make plays, make shots, he stepped up, and he did that.”
LeBron James Appears in Record-Setting 20th NBA All-Star Game
This shot of LeBron James’ dunk in the 2024 NBA All-Star Game 🔥🤯
(📸: @bellikemike) pic.twitter.com/gDLg7Nk2yW
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 20, 2024
“I think as a kid growing up and loving the game of basketball and watching the NBA All-Star weekend and seeing the Sunday game, I always had dreams and visions if I was able to play the game at a high level and give everything to the game; hopefully, I could be a part of that game someday,” James said before the record-setting 20th NBA All-Star Game. LeBron’s dominance and longevity have been incredible, as the 39-year-old has far surpassed the most points in a player’s 21st season with 1,246 points and plenty of games left. The most impressive part is the six other players to play a 21st season in the history of the NBA combined for only 1,230 points: Vince Carter, Dirk Nowitzki, Moses Malone, Kevin Garnett, Kevin Willis, and Robert Parish.
LeBron James 2024 NBA All Star Intro 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/MHFSOmvRPL
— LakeShow Highlights (@LSH_lakeshow) February 19, 2024
The East beat the West 211-186, setting records for the most points by a team and the most points scored by both teams. LeBron James only played 14 minutes in the first half, scoring eight points before surrendering time to the rest of the West roster. James said before the All-Star game, “It’s just been an absolute honor to be able to grace the floor throughout my career and be out there with the greatest players in the world year in and year out.” He did it in his first All-Star Game in 2004. He did it on his 20th Sunday night in Indianapolis.
KD and LeBron back together in the All-Star game. pic.twitter.com/QFzR8fn42i
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) February 19, 2024
The Los Angeles Lakers have a big matchup in Phoenix on Sunday, but currently, LeBron James and Anthony Davis are both questionable to play against the eighth-seeded Suns. On the Laker’s current injury situation, Ham said, “Even though we’re missing guys in the lineup, you know we have to step up and be the best versions of ourselves with what we have available. Active guys in the rotation are trying to figure it out together in rhythm. Just looking at yourself trying to see different ways you can get better and correct whatever mistakes that were made the last go around, last Game, or last possession and try to sustain the good things you’re doing.”
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