AD draws 'MVP' chants with 55-point performance

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As the shot fell done the hoop precocious successful the 4th fourth connected Sunday -- Anthony Davis' 20th made tract goal, accounting for his 49th and 50th points of the nighttime -- the Capital One Arena assemblage fto the visiting Los Angeles Lakers large antheral perceive their appreciation.

"M-V-P! M-V-P! M-V-P!"

Davis, who finished with 55 points, 17 rebounds and 3 blocked shots successful L.A.'s 130-119 triumph implicit the Washington Wizards, isn't conscionable proceeding the praise from fans, either.

"Jayson Tatum is playing his ass off, but erstwhile you're talking astir radical successful the MVP contention oregon category, that astir apt volition alteration aft tonight," Lakers starting defender Patrick Beverley said. "[Davis] should beryllium up there, for sure."

LeBron James, who finished with 29 points, 8 rebounds and six assists, echoed the sentiment.

"He's been unbelievable, man," James said. "On some sides of the floor. I mean, playing similar the MVP of this league. Just consecutive dominance."

Davis' show against the Wizards was 1 of the finest of the 11-year veteran's career. It was the second-most points helium has ever scored, and the astir helium has had successful a Lakers azygous arsenic helium joined Shaquille O'Neal arsenic the lone players with back-to-back games with 40-plus points and 10-plus rebounds for the purple and gold.

It had been 3 decades since immoderate subordinate successful the NBA enactment up a stat enactment of 50 oregon much points, 15 oregon much rebounds and 3 oregon much blocks portion connecting connected astatine slightest 70% of his changeable attempts, arsenic Davis (73% from the field) mirrored Patrick Ewing's 50 points connected 71% shooting, 15 rebounds and 3 blocks that the New York Knicks prima enactment up backmost connected Dec. 1, 1990.

As astounding arsenic his idiosyncratic numbers mightiness be, Davis said his lone absorption remains connected squad achievement.

"To triumph a championship," Davis said erstwhile asked whether his goals for the play present see earning his archetypal Larry O'Brien Trophy. "That's it. If your mindset is connected winning a championship, the remainder volition instrumentality attraction of itself. That's ever been my thought. I enactment the squad archetypal implicit immoderate idiosyncratic awards oregon accolades that travel with it. So if we proceed to bash what we bash and triumph hoops games, the remainder volition instrumentality attraction of itself."

Sunday was the Lakers' 3rd consecutive triumph and their eighth triumph successful their past 10 games to assistance their grounds to 10-12 -- conscionable 2 games down the defending-champion Golden State Warriors, presently No. 6 successful the Western Conference.

The Lakers' triumph capped a sublime agelong for Davis, whose highest vocation decorativeness successful MVP voting was 3rd successful 2017-18 erstwhile helium played for the New Orleans Pelicans.

In his past 9 games, Davis is averaging 35.3 points connected 64.8% from the field, 45.5% from 3 and 88% from the foul enactment portion tallying 15.6 rebounds and 2.9 blocks a night. Lakers manager Darvin Ham said things changed for Davis erstwhile helium was capable to afloat retrieve from the little backmost symptom that had plagued him successful grooming campy and that his production, and confidence, person lone improved since.

"The archetypal and foremost happening is his health," Ham said. "I deliberation he's feeling great, his assemblage is feeling great. He's had a fewer backmost issues aboriginal on, but he's worked his mode done them, and you tin conscionable spot it successful his face, arsenic good arsenic spot it successful his play. He's having amusive playing the crippled of hoops pain-free. And the guys cognize it. They cognize I marque him a apical precedence successful presumption of who we request to play through."

James said portion of his work is staying successful Davis' receptor to fto him cognize conscionable however overmuch helium means to the Lakers' franchise.

"I deliberation we each request to beryllium reminded sometimes," James said. "No substance however bully you are, nary substance what you've got going connected successful your life, we each request to beryllium reminded sometimes wherefore you're present and what your capabilities are and however overmuch we judge successful each other.

"Me, arsenic a person of the team, it's portion of my occupation to marque sure, to reassure AD however large helium is, however large helium is successful this league, not conscionable for this team, but for this league."

The Lakers are anxious to spell arsenic acold arsenic Davis volition instrumentality them.

"He's wholly picked up the torch and he's moving with it," Ham said. "And he's bringing america on for the ride. It's wholly large to see."