Anthony Davis is playing his BEST BASKETBALL 🗣️ - Windy credits Lakers' success to AD 💪 | First Take

ESPN
27 Mar 202410:17

Summary

TLDRThe Lakers secured a significant victory against the Bucks in a thrilling NBA game, with Austin Reeves' triple-double and a crucial three-pointer in the second overtime. Despite LeBron James' absence and a 19-point deficit, the team rallied, led by Anthony Davis's exceptional performance. The win marks the Lakers' fourth straight and boosts their playoff positioning, showcasing resilience and a strong finish to the game.

Takeaways

  • 🏀 Austin Reeves' triple-double, including a tie-breaking three-pointer, was pivotal in the Lakers' victory over the Bucks.
  • 🌟 The Lakers won their fourth straight game despite trailing by 19 points in the fourth quarter and without LeBron James.
  • 📈 Anthony Davis' outstanding performance, with 34 points and 23 rebounds, was crucial and ranked among the top of his season's performances.
  • 🔄 The Lakers demonstrated resilience and a never-give-up mentality, fighting back from significant adversity throughout the game.
  • 🛡️ The defensive impact of Anthony Davis, particularly with key blocks, was instrumental in securing the win for the Lakers.
  • 🏆 The win is considered a statement victory for the Lakers, potentially earning them a spot in the play-in tournament and boosting their playoff chances.
  • 🤔 The Bucks' loss, especially after leading by a large margin, raises concerns about their ability to perform under pressure in the playoffs.
  • 🔥 The Lakers' recent three-point shooting improvement, led by D'Angelo Russell and Austin Reeves, has significantly lifted their offensive game.
  • 📊 The Lakers' current position in the season is their best yet, largely due to Anthony Davis' exceptional play and the team's overall improvement.
  • 🚀 The Clippers' recent struggles and potential fall in rankings could impact the Lakers' play-in situation, offering a potential home game advantage.

Q & A

  • Which team won the NBA game mentioned in the script?

    -The Los Angeles Lakers won the game against the Milwaukee Bucks.

  • What significant achievement did Austin Reeves accomplish in the game?

    -Austin Reeves recorded a triple-double, including a tie-breaking three-pointer with 38 seconds left in the second overtime.

  • How did the Lakers perform despite LeBron James' absence?

    -The Lakers managed to overcome the absence of LeBron James by rallying to beat the Bucks 128-124, showcasing their resilience and teamwork.

  • What was the final score of the game between the Lakers and the Bucks?

    -The final score was 128-124 in favor of the Lakers.

  • What was Anthony Davis' performance like in this game?

    -Anthony Davis put up an impressive 34 points and 23 rebounds, playing a crucial role in the Lakers' victory.

  • What was the significance of the Lakers' win over the Bucks?

    -The win was significant as it demonstrated the Lakers' ability to compete and win without their star player, LeBron James, and it contributed to their fourth straight victory.

  • How has the Lakers' three-point shooting been since the All-Star break?

    -Since the All-Star break, the Lakers have seen a significant improvement in their three-point shooting, ranking second in the league in three-point percentage, which has greatly lifted their offense.

  • What was the role of Spencer Dinwiddie in the Lakers' victory?

    -Spencer Dinwiddie played a key role as another primary ball handler, contributing significantly, especially down the stretch.

  • What challenges are the Bucks facing in close games?

    -The Bucks have struggled in close games, particularly in terms of defensive execution and have not been good in clutch time situations under coach Doc Rivers.

  • What is the current position of the Lakers in the playoff race?

    -The Lakers are in a much better position than they were a couple of weeks ago, with a chance to potentially secure a spot in the 7th to 9th range, depending on other teams' performances and tiebreakers.

  • How is the Lakers' defensive performance?

    -While the Lakers have shown improvement defensively over the last few weeks, moving towards the middle of the pack from being one of the worst in the league, there is still room for improvement, especially in the playoffs.

Outlines

00:00

🏀 Lakers' Resilient Win Over Bucks

The script describes a thrilling NBA game where the Lakers defeated the Bucks in a double overtime match. Austin Reeves secured a tie-breaking three-pointer with 38 seconds left in the second overtime. Despite missing LeBron James, the Lakers displayed remarkable resilience, overcoming a 19-point deficit in the fourth quarter to win their fourth straight game. Anthony Davis's exceptional performance, with 34 points and 23 rebounds, was highlighted as a top contribution to the season. The Lakers' ability to compete and maintain a 'next play mentality' was commended, emphasizing their focus and perseverance throughout the game.

05:01

🏆 Lakers' Playoff Prospects and Anthony Davis' Stellar Performance

The discussion shifts towards the Lakers' playoff prospects, considering their current position and recent form. The team's three-point shooting improvement since the All-Star break is noted, with D'Angelo Russell and Austin Reeves contributing significantly. While defensive concerns remain, Anthony Davis's outstanding play, including his Eastern Conference Player of the Week award, is seen as a key factor in the Lakers' enhanced standing. The potential matchups in the playoffs are analyzed, with the Lakers favored against certain teams due to their recent momentum and Davis's impact. The Clippers' current struggles and their implications for the Lakers' playoff situation are also discussed, with the possibility of the Lakers avoiding a travel-heavy playoff scenario if the Clippers continue to falter.

10:03

🎶 Music Break

The script indicates a brief musical interlude within the program, providing a momentary pause from the discussion.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Austin Reeves

Austin Reeves is a professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA. In the context of the video, he is highlighted for his impressive performance, achieving a triple-double and making a tie-breaking three-pointer towards the end of the game against the Milwaukee Bucks.

💡triple-double

A triple-double in basketball is a statistical milestone where a player achieves double figures in three of the five main statistical categories—points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots—in a single game. In the video, Austin Reeves' triple-double is emphasized as a key factor in the Lakers' win.

💡overtime

Overtime in basketball is an additional period of play that occurs when a game is tied at the end of regulation time. It allows for a winner to be determined. In the video, the Lakers' victory is mentioned as having taken place after two overtimes, highlighting the game's intensity and the team's resilience.

💡LeBron James

LeBron James is a renowned professional basketball player, currently playing for the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA. In the context of the video, his absence from the game is noted as a significant challenge for the Lakers, but one they overcame to secure a victory.

💡comeback

A comeback in sports refers to a situation where a team that was initially losing manages to catch up and potentially win the game. In the video, the Lakers' comeback from a 19-point deficit in the fourth quarter is emphasized as a testament to their resilience and teamwork.

💡Anthony Davis

Anthony Davis is a professional basketball player who is also part of the Los Angeles Lakers. The video script highlights his exceptional performance in the game against the Bucks, where he scored 34 points and had 23 rebounds.

💡adversity

Adversity in sports refers to the challenges or difficulties a team faces during a game or a season. In the video, the Lakers are said to have faced adversity throughout the game, including the absence of a key player, yet managed to pull together and secure a win.

💡playoffs

The playoffs in basketball are the elimination rounds held at the end of the regular season to determine the league champion. The video discusses the potential playoff implications for the Lakers and other teams based on their current performance and standings.

💡team chemistry

Team chemistry refers to the interpersonal relationships and cooperative dynamics among team members, which can significantly impact performance. In the video, it is mentioned that the chemistry between certain players on the Bucks has been improving, which affects their gameplay.

💡three-point shooting

Three-point shooting is a key aspect of modern basketball, referring to shooting the ball from beyond the three-point line to score more points per shot. The video discusses the Lakers' improvement in three-point shooting since the All-Star break, which has positively influenced their offensive capabilities.

💡defensive plays

Defensive plays in basketball are actions taken by players to prevent the opposing team from scoring. In the video, Anthony Davis' defensive plays are highlighted as crucial to the Lakers' win, showcasing his impact on the game's outcome.

Highlights

Austin Reeves records a triple-double and hits a tie-breaking three-pointer with 38 seconds left in the second overtime.

The Lakers win 128-124 against the Bucks, overcoming the absence of LeBron James.

Reeves' performance includes 29 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists.

The Lakers win their fourth straight game despite trailing by 19 points in the fourth quarter.

Anthony Davis scores 34 points and grabs 23 rebounds in the match.

Coach comments on the team's resilience and ability to stay focused amidst adversity.

The Lakers' victory is seen as a statement win, showcasing their competitive spirit without LeBron.

The Warriors' win provides them with some breathing room over the Rockets in the standings.

The Bucks' loss raises concerns about their ability to maintain leads and perform in close games.

The Lakers' performance is lauded for their next-man-up mentality and accountability.

Anthony Davis' defensive impact in the game is considered unquantifiable, with key blocks at critical moments.

Davis' 30-point, 20-rebound performance is one of the finest in the regular season.

The Lakers' three-point shooting has significantly improved since the All-Star break, with D'Angelo Russell and Austin Reeves both over 40% from the range.

The Lakers' defense has shown improvement, largely due to Anthony Davis' play.

The Clippers' recent struggles and potential fall back to the play-in spot could impact the Lakers' playoff positioning.

The Lakers are in their best position of the season, with a strong chance of making the playoffs.

The Lakers could potentially face the Clippers in the play-in or first round, and momentum favors the Lakers.

The Clippers' performance is a mystery, with key players' offensive numbers not translating to wins.

Transcripts

00:00

get into it we had a wild one in the NBA

00:02

last night we just showed a little bit

00:03

of it Austin Reeves triple double made a

00:06

tie breaking three-pointer 38 seconds

00:08

left in the second overtime as the

00:09

Lakers overcame the absence of LeBron

00:11

James rallied to beat the Bucks 128 124

00:16

last night Reeves had 29 Points 14

00:17

rebounds 10 assists as La opened a

00:19

six-game trip by winning their fourth

00:22

straight despite trailing by 19 points

00:24

in the fourth quarter and never leading

00:26

in regulation Anthony Davis put up 34

00:29

points 23 rebounds coach was that a top

00:33

five performance this

00:35

season hell yeah hell yeah top

00:38

definitely top five in the season might

00:39

be top three just dealt with a lot of

00:42

adversity adversity throughout the

00:44

entirety of the game was able to pull

00:46

ourselves together stay focused never

00:48

gave up um I always tell the team you

00:51

know we got to we got to compete be

00:53

together hold ourselves accountable and

00:55

have a next play mentality you know for

00:58

48 minutes or however long it takes

01:00

and so uh today tonight it took four 58

01:05

minutes next man up that's what mad dogs

01:07

do it today the Lakers have been stuck

01:09

in the number nine spot for a while but

01:11

the jockeying for positioning still

01:13

continues guys so the Warriors win last

01:14

night gave them a bit of breathing room

01:17

over the Rockets who have won nine in a

01:20

row all right dog you're up first was

01:22

that a statement win by the Lakers to

01:24

beat the bucks without having LeBron I'm

01:26

going to look at it the other way with

01:28

the Bucks losing and blowing a 19 point

01:30

lead but I will say this the Lakers

01:32

should get themselves at minimum one

01:35

home game in a playin because they

01:36

should be able to withstand Golden State

01:38

and end up in that ninth spot which

01:40

would get him at least one home game but

01:42

the Bucks I mean you got a 19point lead

01:45

in the in the fourth quarter at home and

01:47

LeBron's not playing this is a very

01:49

shaky team they easily I think they get

01:52

out of the first round but they easily

01:55

could lose that second round playoff

01:56

series whether it's Cleveland Orlando

01:58

even the Knicks could beat them they

02:00

were healthy you got to be very worried

02:03

they changed coaches they've been a mess

02:05

they don't play a lot of Defense I'm

02:07

looking at more from a buck loss than a

02:11

Laker win that's the way I'm going to

02:13

look at the game Lakers had a big win

02:15

but Milwaukee you cannot be confident

02:17

that this is a big- Time playoff team

02:18

these two things are not mutually

02:19

exclusive of each other you can have

02:21

both this is a brutal loss for the

02:23

Milwaukee bug to make no mistake about

02:25

it first of all they they they could

02:26

have buried him twice in this game they

02:28

came out to start the game and it looked

02:29

like without LeBron you go up 15 in the

02:31

first quarter Lakers could have just

02:33

said all right we're going to take our

02:34

30o loss and go home right you don't

02:36

have LeBron they fight back stay with an

02:38

arms length bucks go back up again 19 in

02:40

the fourth quarter Lakers fought their

02:42

way back from that so a lot of

02:43

resilience on the part of the Lakers I'm

02:45

going to focus more on the Lakers

02:47

component in this I do think it's a

02:48

statement win and it's because not only

02:51

did they show the the resilience to

02:53

fight back in a regular season game

02:55

without their best player they made the

02:58

winning plays at the end of the game

02:59

that the Bucks did not so dog I hear

03:01

what you're saying the these things

03:03

surfaced again with Milwaukee and by the

03:05

way they haven't been good in crunch

03:06

time under dock now they've improved in

03:08

other areas they definitely are playing

03:10

harder they're better defensively than

03:11

they were under Adrien Griffin there is

03:13

no mistaking that I think the chemistry

03:15

between little Anto kmo is better than

03:17

it was earlier in the year but they are

03:19

not good in close games under Doc Rivers

03:21

and this has been something that doc has

03:22

battled throughout his career in the

03:24

playoffs so you saw it again last night

03:26

execution defensively there were

03:27

mistakes made big ones that led to wide

03:30

open shots Giannis misses two free

03:32

throws late in the game right that's

03:34

surfaced again is that going to become a

03:36

talking point but the Lakers what they

03:38

did offensively and by the way Spencer

03:40

dwy a sneaky good acquisition for the

03:42

Lakers when under the radar another

03:45

primary ball handler he was big for that

03:47

team down the stretch A's played like a

03:49

star he's a very good player he played

03:50

like a star last night and then the most

03:52

important element the impact Anthony

03:54

Davis had defensively on that game you

03:56

really can't even put quantitate

03:58

quantitate that he had two of the best

04:00

defensive plays at critical times that

04:02

you'll see all year by a big and

04:04

particular that BL and lard at the end

04:06

of regulation if he leaves a half a

04:08

second earlier to go block that shot

04:10

yanis Tuma gets a dunk because he is

04:12

engaged with him under the rim he had to

04:14

wait till the last second Goes Up full

04:16

extension gets the tip Lakers go on to

04:18

win the game that's a that's a winning

04:21

play at the end of the game bucks didn't

04:22

make them Lakers did I think this is an

04:25

important moment for the Lakers you saw

04:27

what Darin ham said one of the best wins

04:28

of the Year first four game win streak

04:30

all year that's hard to believe and they

04:32

got an easy schedule easy schedule look

04:33

I'm not saying they're going to the

04:34

finals I'm not going to take that leap

04:36

but I do think this is the kind of win

04:38

dog that can carry weight with a team

04:40

not all wins in the regular season are

04:41

created equal I think this is a morning

04:43

for Anthony Davis to get a valentine in

04:46

March because this was one of the finest

04:49

performances I've ever seen Anthony

04:51

Davis have in the regular season we're

04:53

talking about a 30p point 20 rebound 23

04:57

rebound performance largely against

05:00

Giannis who was just six of his last 15

05:03

in the second half of this game because

05:06

ad was all over the place at The Rim he

05:08

played 52 minutes the most of any game

05:11

in his career knowing that he had to

05:12

deliver without LeBron never gave up on

05:15

this game never you know did played

05:18

through you know knocking knees late in

05:20

the game and specifically what he was

05:23

doing at the defensive end guys where

05:25

he's you know at times staying with

05:28

Giannis playing Giannis straight up

05:29

Giannis by the way had a 29o triple

05:31

double he had a strong game but going in

05:34

a heavyweight fight where he's sometimes

05:37

guarding yanis and other times down the

05:39

stretch where they're switching uh with

05:41

those screens and he's forced to switch

05:43

on Dame Lillard he's guarding both of

05:45

them absolutely brilliant performance

05:48

from Anthony Davis this is the reason

05:50

why the Lakers are at their at this spot

05:53

in this season because Anthony Davis is

05:54

playing his best basketball just named

05:57

Eastern Conference player of the week on

05:59

Monday he follows this up on Tuesday my

06:02

gosh what a what a what a move the

06:05

Lakers are where they're at now which is

06:07

in their best position of the season for

06:09

two reasons one they have gotten awesome

06:13

three-point shooting since the All-Star

06:15

break D'Angelo Russell who had a a

06:17

double double in this game and Austin

06:20

Reeves have both been well over 40% from

06:22

three-point range uh since the All-Star

06:24

break they're actually second in league

06:25

in three-point percentage since the

06:27

allstar break that's huge that it lifts

06:28

their offense which is where they've had

06:30

so much trouble this season and while I

06:32

still don't think they're a good enough

06:34

defensive team to really do anything

06:36

special in the post season this year

06:38

they have been better over the last

06:40

couple of weeks they've they've gone

06:42

from being one of the worst in the

06:43

league to sort of more towards the

06:44

middle of the pack I think that's large

06:46

because of how well ad is playing they

06:48

have a big task tonight with all these

06:50

guys playing so many minutes having to

06:52

play in a back-to-back in Memphis

06:54

because all these games matter at this

06:55

point but LeBron didn't play last night

06:58

and if he's able to some energy and be

07:00

okay on that ankle to play tonight that

07:02

could be a trump card for them so the

07:04

Lakers are in much much better position

07:06

than they were just a couple weeks ago

07:08

uh listen they can't get out of the play

07:10

in they don't have tiebreaker over

07:12

Sacramento and Dallas so chances are

07:15

they're going to be in at

07:16

789 but I would think out of those four

07:19

they could be the seventh who would they

07:21

be there let's say Denver wins the

07:23

conference Oklahoma City of Minnesota

07:26

could the Lakers beat them you much

07:27

better an expert on this than I am at

07:29

the moment with the matchup they

07:30

probably could Lakers last year beat

07:32

Memphis now Morant was out for the most

07:34

part but they beat Memphis Lakers could

07:36

win a Playoff round I would think if

07:37

they end up not playing Denver in the

07:40

first round good chance they'd be

07:41

favored in those series because

07:42

Minnesota doesn't have Carl Anthony

07:44

towns and Oklahoma City just a lack of

07:45

collective playoff experience I think a

07:47

lot of people would pick the Lakers to

07:49

beat those two teams I'm not sure I'd go

07:51

there yet I don't have to I don't have

07:53

to go there yet cuz we have a few more

07:54

weeks is towns going to play is he going

07:56

to be healthy by then watch there's been

07:58

no timeline that real quick here's

08:00

something to watch the Clippers are in

08:03

an absolute freef fall they didn't make

08:05

our graphic because they got lucky last

08:07

night and they got back up into fourth

08:09

place but they should be on the graphic

08:11

for the playin because they are two

08:13

games clear two games clear right now of

08:16

the seventh spot there's a whole bunch

08:17

of tiebreakers and stuff also they are

08:19

going to the on Eastern Conference road

08:21

trip they play in Philly tonight on ESPN

08:24

in a very important game they're playing

08:25

terrible right now I at this point don't

08:28

know what's going to happen with the

08:29

Clippers but they are not out of the

08:30

woods for the playin good point and if

08:32

they fall back to the playin to that

08:34

seventh spot you know what that means

08:38

that means the Lakers potentially

08:40

wouldn't have to leave Los Angeles for a

08:41

playin situation now I'm not saying

08:43

that's going to happen but I'm saying if

08:45

I'm the Lakers I'm watching the Clippers

08:47

very closely and the Clippers have a

08:49

must win game tonight or else they're

08:51

going to be back in five and right on

08:53

the with the Dallas Mavericks on their

08:55

heels that play in situation is wide

08:58

open we know who loves the Dallas

09:00

Mavericks this guy right to my left

09:02

that's right I do and they they didn't

09:03

nothing last night to dispel that that

09:05

was a beat down they put on the kings in

09:07

Sacramento that's a huge game Friday

09:09

because if the Kings win they have

09:11

tiebreaker correct and that's a huge

09:13

game because they'd have a game and a

09:15

half lead so that Friday game in

09:16

sacrament one of those two game teams in

09:18

the same city that's a very important

09:20

this is LCA this is Luca's best team

09:22

you're high I know you've been high in

09:23

them that's scary yep all right if

09:25

Lakers matched up with the Clippers how

09:26

do you think that plays out the way the

09:28

Clippers are playing now I think the

09:29

Lakers and and the momentum that they

09:30

have I'd pick the Lakers to win that

09:31

game if that was a one game off it was a

09:33

best of seven probably too honestly the

09:36

Clippers are a mystery to me because

09:38

when you look at the offensive numbers

09:40

like kawii Leonard Paul George for the

09:41

most part they're doing what they've

09:42

done all season Norman pwell and Harden

09:44

have had a slight down tick offensively

09:46

in their efficiency so it's really hard

09:48

to to exactly pinpoint what it is other

09:51

than the fact that they just haven't

09:53

been very good in close games and their

09:54

defense hasn't been as good but this was

09:56

a team six weeks ago that looked like

09:58

they were going to make a run at Denver

10:00

and now they're under 500 over a 6 week

10:03

period that's not a small sample size

10:04

when they have been relatively

10:10

[Music]

10:16

healthy