They did it! After going overtime in each of their last three games, the Lakers finally won the victory and beat the Memphis Grizzlies 115-105 at Staples Center on Friday.
But this game, like the last three, started for the Lakers a lot: a slow start followed by a handful of runs, but not one they could get over the hump. The Grizzlies started with a 20-2 run to start the first quarter, and they finished the season with a 15-point lead.
The Lakers did not take their first lead in the game until less than a minute was left in the third quarter, but they won every quarter, the first. They also never lost the lead after taking it. The Lakers outscored the Grizzlies 41-23 in the third quarter and 28-23 in the fourth quarter.
Anthony Davis had a strong return to court on Friday, scoring 35 points and 8 rebounds within 35 minutes. He was wearing a walking boot when he was on the couch, but when he was on the floor, he looked like someone else. It’s not too late to catapult him past Nikola Jokic and Kawhi Leonard for All-Star votes in the Western Conference, you know!
Kyle Kuzma was also very valuable to the Lakers off the bench on Friday, scoring 20 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Kuzma had more points and rebounds than any of the beginners not named LeBron James and Anthony Davis. He looks like he’s out there right now.
But the real winner of Friday night was not the Lakers; it was LeBron James, who played less than 40 minutes for the first time since February 4th. James insisted that his body felt good during this rough piece, but it’s honestly tired of just watching him. The Lakers owed it to him to hold this game for up to four quarters. He also made his contribution, contributing 28 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and two steals.
With a win on Friday, the Lakers ended their home game of five games with a 5-0 record and they extended their winning streak to seven games. They will now, for the first time in two weeks, be on their way again to face the Denver Nuggets in the Ball Arena on Saturday to change their winning streak from seven games to eight games.
For more Lakers talk, subscribe to the Silver Screen and Roll podcast feed iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts. You can follow this author on Twitter @RadRivas.