**Lakers Secure a Win on LeBron James’s Return, 40 Points from Anthony Davis**The Los Angeles Lakers, on Tuesday, were back to winning on the night LeBron James came back. The Lakers cruised over the Suns 121-99 at Phoenix. However, this was not the performance that would grab the attention but rather a show-stealer. In a game where he scored 40 points with 15 rebounds, Anthony Davis continued to shine.
Lebron, who missed a couple of games because of injury, played the maximum time, adding 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists to the board in 30 minutes of play. It was, however, Davis who stole the show as he used all his skill set in mid-range jumpers, and powerful dunks, as he led the Lakers from the opening tip to the final buzzer.
The Suns struggled to contain Davis, who looked unstoppable both on the attack and on defense. He dominated the paint, but he could stretch the floor with timely perimeter shooting that made Phoenix stay on its toes throughout the game. A 40-point performance from Davis was a reminder of the potential he carries when he is fully healthy and a reminder of what could have been if the other source of offense is more reliable.
James returned from a short injury absence and looked right back in sync with his teammates, helping to facilitate the offense and coming up with key plays when needed. His on-court leadership was apparent as he directed the Lakers through stretches of the game where the Suns tried to close the gap. But Phoenix’s efforts were not enough as the Lakers never let the lead slip below double digits after the second quarter.
Devin Booker best scored for the Suns with 27 points, but he had a hard time finding his rhythm against the defensive pressure brought by the Lakers. To add to that, shooting woes for the Suns were compounded when the bench could not supply any supportive continuous runs.
With the win, the Lakers improved to 14-10 on the season, whereas Phoenix fell to 12-12. An important win was pivotal for Los Angeles as they now continue their grappling for a position in the Western Conference, especially with both LeBron and Davis healthy and returning to their excellent form.
For the remaining season, the Lakers will have to keep focused on taking one game at a time and remaining healthy. Now that the combination of LeBron James and Anthony Davis is back and performing well, the Lakers are poised for another playoff push.
