AD on LeBron feedback: 'Playing like my old self'

LOS ANGELES -- In mid-December of past season, aft Anthony Davis suffered a near genu wounded that would sideline him for much than a month, LeBron James instantly upped his scoring mean to effort to marque up for the large man's absence. James reeled disconnected 7 consecutive games of 30-plus points, and topped 30 successful 11 retired of 12 games overall, to dependable the Los Angeles Lakers.

Davis is doing his champion to instrumentality the favour this season.

With James sidelined for a 4th consecutive crippled Sunday due to the fact that of a strained near groin, Davis scored astatine slightest 30 for the 3rd consecutive clip successful L.A.'s 123-92 triumph implicit the San Antonio Spurs.

It was the Lakers' 3rd consecutive win, improving their grounds to 5-10, and Davis has been instrumental during the streak. He's averaging 35 points connected 61.7% shooting wide and 91.2% shooting from the foul enactment on with 17.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks implicit the past 3 games.

He became the 3rd subordinate successful Lakers past to grounds astatine slightest 30 points and 15 rebounds successful 3 consecutive games, joining Hall of Famers Elgin Baylor and Shaquille O'Neal.

"Obviously erstwhile he's out, oregon if I'm out, we instrumentality it upon ourselves to benignant of, arsenic overmuch arsenic we can, capable that void," Davis told ESPN erstwhile asked astir his ascension successful James' absence.

While the Lakers' large antheral was intentional astir taking connected much of the load to bargain James much clip to recover, helium did not specifically program it arsenic payback for what James did past season.

"We haven't talked astir it, but helium did accidental that I'm playing similar my aged self, truthful I'm trying to get backmost into that rhythm," Davis told ESPN astir James' feedback to him.

Davis did astir of his harm aboriginal against the Spurs, tallying 18 points and 5 rebounds successful the archetypal 4th -- the astir helium has scored successful immoderate 4th each play -- arsenic L.A. built a 14-point pb that would yet balloon to arsenic galore arsenic 34.

"AD is playing retired of his mind," Lakers manager Darvin Ham said. "He's successful a large rhythm."

The improved play inactive has the Lakers successful lone 13th successful the Western Conference and 2½ games down the Minnesota Timberwolves for the last play-in spot for the postseason.

Of course, determination are plentifulness of games near to marque up ground, but the docket isn't astir to bash L.A. immoderate favors. The Lakers spell connected the roadworthy to play the West's No. 2 team, the Phoenix Suns, connected Tuesday. It marks the commencement of a treacherous agelong successful which 16 of the Lakers' adjacent 22 games are connected the roadworthy betwixt present and Jan. 2.

"I deliberation everybody's assurance is precise high, portion not getting excessively high," Davis told reporters afterward. "Going into Phoenix to commencement the travel volition beryllium a bully trial for us. But similar I said, I deliberation the guys' assurance is precocious connected some ends of the shot going into that game. Which, we privation to commencement the roadworthy travel disconnected with a W. Then, San Antonio back-to-back. So, it feels bully to get 3 successful a row. Now we conscionable got to transportation it implicit into the roadworthy and enactment immoderate much wins together."