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Los Angeles Lakers All-Star big man Anthony Davis claimed he’s unbothered by Domantas Sabonis’ unbeaten record against him.
“It doesn’t matter to me,” Davis told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin before Sabonis dominated him anew as the Sacramento Kings swept the season series against the Lakers with a 120-107 victory on Wednesday, March 13, at Golden1 Center. “I’m all about the team.
I want to get a win, obviously, because [we’re trailing him behind the team standings]. So just be able to close the gap. The 1-on-1 thing, it doesn’t bother me.”
Davis, obviously, did not get the win as Sabonis produced his league-best 23rd triple-double with 17 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
Sabonis improved to 10-0 against Davis in their personal matchup.
“He’s a physical player,” Davis said of Sabonis after the loss. “Just try to match his physicality. Make him take a lot of tough shots. I think he just hurt us on the glass.”
Haunting Domantas Sabonis Offensive Rebounding
Davis was left licking the wounds of another crushing defeat that put a dent in their postseason bid.
“Turnovers kind of hurt us and then in the offensive rebounding, any time they got a rebound, it resulted in a three most of the time,” Davis lamented to reporters after the loss. “So it’s tough!”
Sabonis had five of the Kings’ nine offensive rebounds.
One critical Sabonis offensive rebound in the fourth quarter haunted Davis.
“Sometimes the ball’s going to bounce the wrong way or did something about the way they attack the offensive glass you guys could have boxed out better or whatever,” Davis told reporters. “We have to look at it but I know one in particular.”
It was a Sabonis offensive rebound that led to a Harrison Barnes 3-pointer that extended the Kings’ lead to 104-88 with 6:04 left.
“I was boxing out,” Davis recalled. “I saw [LeBron James] was coming over the top to grab the rebound but he thought I was going to get it. So neither one of us jumped and [Sabonis] got it [and] kicked out to Harrison for three.”
Barnes led the Kings with 23 points on 7 of 11 3-pointers. The Kings made 19 of 41 3-pointers that had the Lakers defense scrambling.
Davis, who finished with a quiet double-double (22 points and 10 rebounds) was left licking the wounds of another crushing defeat that put a dent in their postseason bid.
“Turnovers kind of hurt us and then in the offensive rebounding, any time they got a rebound, it resulted in a three most of the time,” Davis lamented to reporters after the loss. “So it’s tough!”
LeBron James ‘Cold’ Game
Playing through ankle pain and feeling under the weather, James only made 6 of 16 shots from the floor. He scored half of his 18 points in the fourth quarter as the Lakers tried a last-ditch rally that went in vain.
“My ankle’s doing decent,” James told reporters after the loss. “Trying to knock this cold out as fast as possible. We’ll see.”
The ninth-place Lakers will host the 10th-place Golden State Warriors, who might have superstar Stephen Curry back from his ankle injury.
Curry practiced with Santa Cruz, the Warriors’ G League team, on Wednesday. He will join the Warriors practice on Friday, March 15, in Los Angeles before they decide on his playing status.
“Everything went well,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters on Wednesday before they lost to the Dallas Mavericks. “He’ll meet us in LA.”
Saturday’s game could become a preview of a potential play-in matchup.
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