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They did it! After going into extra time in each of their last three games, the Lakers have finally won in regulation, beating the Memphis Grizzlies 115-105 at Staples Center on Friday.
But this game started out a lot like the last three for the Lakers: a slow start followed by a handful of points, but none could get them over the bump. The Grizzlies went on a 20-2 run to start the first quarter, and they ended the period with a 15-point lead.
The Lakers didn’t take their first lead of the game until less than a minute left in the third quarter, but they’ve won every quarter, expect the first. They also never lost their minds after taking it. The Lakers beat the Grizzlies 41-23 in the third quarter and 28-23 in the fourth.
Anthony Davis made a strong comeback on the court on Friday, totaling 35 points and 8 rebounds in 35 minutes. He wore a walking boot when he was on the bench, but when he was on the floor he looked as sharp as anyone. It’s not too late to catapult him past Nikola Jokic and Kawhi Leonard for All-Star votes at the Western Conference, you know!
Kyle Kuzma was also hugely valuable to the Lakers off the bench on Friday, scoring 20 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Kuzma has had more points and rebounds than any of the unnamed starters LeBron James and Anthony Davis combined. He looks like he’s having fun there right now.
But the real Friday night winner wasn’t the Lakers; it was LeBron James, who played less than 40 minutes for the first time since February 4. James insisted that his body felt great during this difficult time, but honestly it was tiring to watch him. The Lakers owed him to keep this game contained to four quarters. He also made sure to do his part, contributing 28 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and two steals.
With a win on Friday, the Lakers finished their five-game home stand with a 5-0 record and extended their winning streak to seven games. They will now hit the road for the first time in two weeks to face the Denver Nuggets at the Ball Arena on Saturday, looking to turn their seven-game winning streak into eight games.
For more Lakers talk, subscribe to the Silver Screen and Roll podcast on itunes, Spotify, Stitcher or Google podcasts. You can follow this author on Twitter at @RadRivas.
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