Anthony Davis dropped heavily, but LeBron James picked up the Los Angeles Lakers and led them to an NBA victory over the Utah Jazz with a score of 106-101.
James scored 15 of 33 points in the fourth quarter when the Lakers reduced the deficit to 12 points.
James has become a key in the comeback, his contribution including a huge duck from Russell Westbrook’s pass that led the Lakers to two with a score of 2:08.
They are not far behind on the road to victory, which seemed unlikely when stellar forward Davis twisted his ankle shortly before the break when he landed on Rudy Gobert’s leg after getting up to get a pass.
Davis, who scored 17 points in a 7 out of nine shooting, gripped his ankle in pain before teammates helped him leave the court.
All for the working day. #LakersWin pic.twitter.com/xNRNife5W1
– Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) February 17, 2022
The Lakers said the X-rays were negative and Davis would receive treatment during the upcoming break at the All-Star Game.
This season, Davis averaged 23.3 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. He has already missed 17 knee games.
“It’s very sad to see AD go the way he did,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. “There’s energy you have to overcome, and there’s the way we tactically tune in.
“Congratulate our guys for being stuck and continuing to fight,” added Vogel, who said Westbrook was a key motivator during the timeouts.
“And what we saw LeBron do was just wonderful,” Vogel said. “At this point in his career, adopting in the fourth quarter the way he did, only with energy, will and determination was really something special.”
Westbrook finished with 17 points and 7 rebounds in the Lakers, who had 15 points from Malik Mank.
Donavan Mitchell led Utah with 37 points.
The Lakers’ victory, which ended a three-game losing streak, was just one of the comeback victories that brightened the night.
In San Francisco, Monte Morris lost three-pointer Stephen Curry at the last buzz to lift the Denver Nuggets to a 117-116 victory over the Golden State Warriors, who led by eight in less than three minutes of play.
In the fourth quarter, the Phoenix Suns won 124-121.
The Brooklyn Nets scored 28 points and beat the New York Knicks 111-106 at Madison Square Garden.
Brooklyn rookie Cam Thomas scored 16 of 21 points in the fourth quarter, making a long three-pointer in 7.7 seconds to increase the Nets ’lead to six points and essentially solidify the win.
MONTE MORRIS knocks down #TissotBuzzerBeaterVICTORY FOR @nuggets!! #ThisYourTime pic.twitter.com/oYHsygvuUK
– NBA (@NBA) February 17, 2022
– “One at a time” –
Superstar Kevin Durant watched from the bench as he continued to recover from a knee injury, celebrating on his feet.
“I knew it was one on one,” Thomas said. “I just went on my move.
“Glad it worked out because it was hard for me today,” added Thomas, who made just two of three throws in the first three quarters. “I just needed to keep playing,” Thomas said. “I’m glad we did it.”
In Chicago, Demar DeRozan scored 38 points to lead the Bulls to victory over the Sacramento Kings 125-118 and break the record set by the great NBA Wilt Chamberlain.
Derozan became the first player in league history to score 35 or more points and connect to 50 percent or more of his shots in seven games in a row.
Chamberlain did this in six games in a row twice, in the 1960-61 season and in the 1962-63 campaign.
Kobe White handled six three-pointers on the way to 31 points behind Chicago. Nikola Vuchevich added 21 points and 10 rebounds to the Bulls, who won for the fifth time in a row and overtook the Miami Heat at the top of the Eastern Conference.
Jerome Grant of Detroit exhausted the winner of the game 19.6 seconds before the end in Boston, raising the Pistons to a 112-111 triumph that ended the Celtics’ nine-game winning streak.
Grant finished with 24 points for the Pistons, who have lost in their last eight and 14 of their previous 16 games.
Jason Tatum had the last chance for the Celtics, but his shot in the jump from the top of the key bounced off the rim.