The opportunity began Friday night in Boston, when the Celtics hung onto the smallest threads of their lead to beat the Sacramento Kings. It continued in New Orleans when the lowly San Antonio Spurs pulled off an upset win against the Pelicans.
With the Lakers resting at home on Friday night, they came to the arena Saturday with actual ground to gain. But after six straight games on the road and a cross-country flight back home from Washington, there were real questions about whether the Lakers could take advantage of it.
The first game back came on even shorter rest, the team playing their first afternoon home game of the season against a dangerous Cleveland team, which was coming off a blowout loss in Phoenix on Wednesday.
It would take a serious effort — but in what’s become increasingly clear over the last two months, the Lakers are looking like a serious team.
The Lakers got 28 points from D’Angelo Russell and dominant double-doubles from LeBron James and Anthony Davis in a 116-97 win. The Lakers, who built a 16-point first-half lead, saw it all go away in the third before their defense re-engaged to snap control back thanks largely to a Davis-led 17-0 run.
The win has the Lakers in eighth place in the Western Conference with four games left in the regular season.
James scored 24 and had 12 assists, setting the tone early with his playmaking. And Davis dominated on both ends, his 22 points and 13 rebounds almost as impactful as his six blocked shots and three steals.
Taurean Prince had one of his best games, scoring 18 points while shooting missing just two of his nine shots.
The Lakers host Minnesota on Sunday night.
