Anthony Davis 1st Lakers player since Jerry West to score 40+ points on 75% FG, 90% FT shooting

Anthony Davis is the first Los Angeles Lakers player since Jerry West to score at least 40 points on 75% shooting from the field and 90% on free throws. In Los Angeles’ 132-131 win over the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night, Davis recorded a season-high 41 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, and one block in 40 minutes of action.

The 12-year veteran shot 13-of-17 (76.5%) shooting from the floor, 2-of-2 (100%) beyond the arc, and 13-of-14 (92.9%) at the foul line. Davis scored 20 of his 41 points in the fourth quarter and made 11 free throw attempts in the final frame. The Raptors finished with only 13 made free throws.

NBA betting sites show Davis with second-best odds below Rudy Gobert to win NBA Defensive Player of the Year. Sportsbooks are still giving great odds to Chet Holmgren and Joel Embiid.

Anthony Davis last night:

✅ 41 PTS
✅ 11 REB
✅ 13-17 FG
✅ 13-14 FT

He’s the first @Lakers player to score at least 40 points while shooting 75% on field goals and 90% on free throws since Jerry West on Jan. 21, 1969.

More in today’s free game notes: https://t.co/3WDMrHOpgE pic.twitter.com/opImZAuhy2

— Justin Kubatko (@jkubatko) January 10, 2024

“It was all of us,” said Davis, who finally came through in the clutch after struggling to knock down free throws. “It wasn’t just me. Big-time stops. We got rebounds, and they wanted me to get the ball as far as free throws, but the team was just making the right reads and trying to finish.”

Davis and Austin Reaves combined to hit 10 straight free throws in the final 34 seconds. Although Raptors players Dennis Schroder and Pascal Siakam drained a couple of 3-pointers in the final four seconds, it was not enough to secure the win.

Los Angeles Lakers’ Anthony Davis is second in the NBA in total rebounds, third in blocks this season

“We knew we had an advantage on the interior tonight, and we just tried to get it to [Davis] early and often and late,” added LeBron James, who amassed 22 points, five rebounds, and 12 assists in 36 minutes played.

The Lakers improved to 5-10 since winning the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament in December. Los Angeles is now heading in the right direction. With this win over Toronto, the Lakers are 19-19 overall and 13-6 at home.

Through 36 starts this season, Davis is averaging 25.7 points, 12.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.2 steals, 2.6 blocks, and 36.2 minutes per game. The eight-time All-Star is shooting 56.2% from the field, a career-best 35.9% from 3-point range, and 80.9% at the line.

.@RKHorry goes to 𝘈𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 360 to break down Anthony Davis’s dominance on the floor. pic.twitter.com/iqbyaem4wK

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) January 10, 2024

Davis ranks seventh in the NBA this season in points (924), second in total rebounds (439), sixth in offensive rebounds (115), third in defensive rebounds (324), third in blocks (92), seventh in free throws (212), fifth in minutes played (1,302), and fifth in defensive rating (107.9).

More importantly, the four-time All-Defensive member has missed just two games so far this season. If he manages to stay healthy, he’ll qualify for the NBA awards and honors. Davis missed 26 games last regular season.