Lakers best Thunder behind dominant night from Anthony Davis.
LOS ANGELES — The Lakers won their third straight on Friday, beating the Oklahoma City Thunder 116–111 to move to .500 for the first time this season with a 37–37 record, currently putting them in the 8th seed in the West.
Anthony Davis started the matchup with a dominant presence, scoring at will early on with 23 first-half points and finishing the night with 37 points. Davis finished with 71% from the field on 15-for-21 shooting, adding 15 rebounds in 36 minutes of action.
Lonnie Walker IV was a star in his role, staying ready and providing the spark the Lakers bench needed to get the win over Oklahoma City. Walker IV finished with 20 bench points on 4-for-8 shooting from three and 7-for-12 overall, adding four rebounds and three steals in 23 minutes.
“Being positive. Understanding what we’re trying to accomplish and just staying ready,” said Walker IV. “My teammates have made me not being able to play much easier. I love these guys, and I’m happy to be playing with them.”
After the game, Davis gave Walker IV an upbeat talk about his uplifting 20-point performance, giving him his flowers for staying ready to help them get the win.
“He gave me my flowers for being ready and understanding that it’s not easy, and that’s something that I’m going to take to the heart,” said Walker IV.
Dennis Shröder was the Lakers' second-leading scorer on the night, finishing with 21 points, six assists, three rebounds, two steals, and a block in 36 minutes.
The Lakers’ next matchup comes this Sunday at home against the Chicago Bulls at 12:30 p.m. on Spectrum SportsNet.
