NBA Top Five Performances, March 7: Anthony Davis Has Double-Double in Los Angeles Lakers Win Over Memphis Grizzlies

TOP PLAYERS OF THE DAY:

The night in Los Angeles started with two-time NBA champion Pau Gasol’s jersey being retired. It ended with Lakers fans talking about Anthony Davis.

Davis had 30 points, 22 rebounds and two blocks in the win against the Memphis Grizzlies. Davis became the first Laker since Shaquille O’Neal (2003-04) to have multiple games with 30 points and 20 rebounds in a single season. He is averaging 33 points and 13.8 rebounds in his last five games, and the Lakers moved to ninth place in the Western Conference Tuesday night.

Davis talked about what it was like seeing Gasol recognized for his tenure with the Lakers.

“I actually told Pau that I wanna be up there one day as well,” Davis said. “That’s a huge honor to be up there with the greats, and he deserves it. The list of big men that came through this organization, dominated, and left their mark. It’s hard not to think about it and I obviously wanna be up there in that group.”

AD on Pau Gasol's jersey retirement and the Lakers' history of legendary big men 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/GR5Z3yyeF7
— NBA (@NBA) March 8, 2023

OTHERS:

- Kyrie Irving’s 33-point performance helped the Dallas Mavericks get a late push in the victory against the Utah Jazz. Irving had 17 points in the fourth quarter, including the Mavericks’ last five of the game.

- Despite the loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Steph Curry had 40 points on 10 of 16 shooting from 3-point range for the Golden State Warriors.

- Joel Embiid had 39 points, seven rebounds and three blocks in the Philadelphia 76ers’ win over the Minnesota Timberwolves without James Harden.

- Brook Lopez led the Giannis Antetokounmpo-less Milwaukee Bucks with 26 points, six rebounds and three blocks to get the win against the Orlando Magic.

Jayden Armant is a contributor to Inside the Heat. He is a student at Howard University. He can be reached at jayden.armant@bison.howard.edu or follow him on Twitter @jaydenarmant.