CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Lakers were perfect, Anthony Davis dominating everywhere on the basketball court while the scoreboard ticked up in their favor on nearly every possession. The Lakers’ energy was off the charts, the team in complete control as it flew around and forced turnovers and missed shots. The offense was in perfect sync as it found either Davis or someone else wide open for layups and dunks.
It was a team at its peak.
But it lasted just 12 minutes.
Nearly as quickly as the Lakers sprinted to the top of their powers Monday in Charlotte, they plummeted to their depths, a 23-point first-quarter lead dwindling all the way down to two in the fourth. Still, even without any real momentum for the last three quarters, the Lakers managed to escape with a 112-107 win in a game where they never trailed.
Davis finished with 42 points and 23 rebounds. His first quarter was a historic level of domination. He made his first seven shots and scored 21 points while grabbing 11 rebounds. No player in the last 28 years (as far back as Stathead.com quarter data goes) opened a game with 21 points and 11 rebounds in the first quarter.
Both were more than the entire Hornets team had in the first quarter.
But Charlotte, like Lakers coach JJ Redick predicted before the game, started launching three-pointers after the Lakers shut down the paint. LaMelo Ball’s second three early in the second quarter cut the lead to 16, but he rolled his ankle while backpedaling down the court. He left the game and didn’t return, playing only nine minutes.
The Hornets, though, stayed hot from deep while the Lakers’ execution on both ends of the court cratered. LeBron James badly airballed a three to end one possession. Davis was forced to shoot off of one knee from 19 feet away to end another.
Charlotte (12-31) cut the lead to eight by halftime, aided by seven Lakers turnovers in the second quarter alone.
The Lakers (26-18) never fully regained their rhythm, only briefly sparking in the second half while leaving the game grateful that they had built such a large cushion early.
Jared Vanderbilt’s steal and score in the fourth was a big play, but lackadaisical passing and a lack of attention threatened to cost the Lakers late. The Hornets cut the lead to three after the Lakers couldn’t complete a stop, Charlotte getting a steal from Davis and drawing a foul from him on a missed three.
Davis, though, redeemed himself with two free throws to ice the game, the Lakers winning their fourth in a row.
James finished with 22 points, seven rebounds and eight assists, and Austin Reaves had 17 points, six assists and five rebounds.
They play Tuesday in Philadelphia.
