Minnesota
Anthony Davis bullies Timberwolves with 27 points, 25 rebounds in Lakers' 120-109 victory
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Anthony Davis had 27 points, a season-high 25 rebounds and a career-high seven steals while leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a 120-109 victory over the short-handed Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday night.
Davis added five assists and three blocked shots in one of the most prolific games of his decorated career. The nine-time All-Star feasted on a Minnesota lineup missing its top two big men and four regulars due to injuries, grabbing 21 rebounds in the second half alone and leading a 21-4 rally to begin the fourth quarter while the Lakers pulled away to their 12th win in 17 games.
“When we’re out there having fun, everybody’s confidence is high,” Davis said. “When we’re talking trash to the other team, we’re holding each other accountable, and we’re just playing the right way. We know what it takes. It’s just about having the consistency of playing that way each and every night.”
Davis is only the eighth player since the 1982-83 season with at least 25 points, 25 rebounds and five assists in a game, according to Sportradar. Nikola Jokic did it last season, joining a short list that includes Charles Barkley and Kevin Garnett.
“Ten offensive rebounds is crazy,” said Austin Reaves, who scored 19 points for Los Angeles. “I did feel any time we shot and missed, he was there to give us a second-chance opportunity with offensive rebounds, get himself to the line. The steals, I don’t know. The steals are crazy. Seven steals is very, very impressive.”
LeBron James had 29 points, nine assists and eight rebounds as the Lakers knocked off another top team following wins over Oklahoma City and Milwaukee on their six-game homestand. Los Angeles (36-30) is six games above .500 for the first time since the final day of the 2021-22 regular season.
Naz Reid scored 25 points and hit five 3-pointers in his first start of the season for Minnesota, which hit 16 of its season-high 46 3-point attempts. Reid delivered his second straight outstanding performance after scoring a career-high 34 against Cleveland last Friday, but the Wolves’ depleted interior defense couldn’t stop Davis without Rudy Gobert or Karl-Anthony Towns.
“This team is No. 2 in the West, and still a good team,” Davis said. “Obviously, they’re missing key parts of their team, but they still have guys who can make plays, and they still find a way to win ballgames. We just wanted to come out as a team effort and knowing that wherever we are in the standings and how important this game was, trying to close the gap in the standings.”
Anthony Edwards also scored 25 points for the Wolves, who have lost four of six. Minnesota missed nine consecutive shots to start the fourth quarter while Los Angeles pulled away.
“Ball movement dried up a little bit, but really it was the offensive rebounds at the other end of the floor that hurt us more in the fourth,” Minnesota coach Chris Finch said. “I felt confident we were able to come back, but so many second shots, and it’s difficult at that point. … (Davis) should have dominated us. He had size. He had length. He had all that stuff. He was in the paint for seven, eight seconds every time they shot the ball. It’s easy to go get it. But we’ve got to do a better job rooting him out.”
James returned after sitting out due to injury for the ninth time this season when the Lakers stunned Milwaukee 123-122 on Friday night behind D’Angelo Russell’s 44-point performance. Davis injured his left shoulder during that game in a collision with Giannis Antetokounmpo, but it didn’t visibly slow him.
Edwards played through an ankle injury, but Gobert sat out with right hamstring tightness. Gobert, who missed his third game of the season, was fined $100,000 by the NBA earlier Sunday for a series of transgressions questioning the integrity of the NBA’s officiating Friday.
Towns missed his third straight game for Minnesota since being diagnosed with a torn meniscus in his left knee. The big man is likely to be sidelined until the postseason following surgery.
Kyle Anderson also sat out with right shoulder pain, and Monte Morris missed his second straight game with a strained left hamstring.
Lakers swingman Cam Reddish was ruled out with a sprained right ankle. It was the second additional game he has missed since he returned from a monthlong injury absence in late February.
UP NEXT
Timberwolves: At Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night.
Lakers: At Sacramento on Wednesday night.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
The final day of the Minnesota high school baseball season takes center stage Monday, as four championship bouts take place at Target Field.
All games can be streamed, for a fee, at NSPN.TV/MSHSL
Class A
No. 1 Madelia (28-3) vs. No. 2 Red Lake County (27-2), 10 a.m.
Class 2A
No. 1 St. Cloud Cathedral (24-2) vs. No. 3 Glencoe-Silver Lake (23-4), 1 p.m.
Class 3A
No. 1 Totino-Grace (19-8) vs. No. 2 Mahtomedi (23-5), 4:30 p.m.
Class 4A
No. 2 Champlin Park (22-6) vs. No. 4 Rosemount (24-5), 7:30 p.m.
The Minnesota Lynx have the early favorite for Rookie of the Year; the Las Vegas Aces have the reigning MVP.
Olivia Miles made two huge shots for the Lynx in the final minute, but two free throws by A’ja Wilson put the Aces ahead for good in a 100-97 win Saturday in Sin City.
Miles scored 12 of her career-high 29 points in the fourth quarter — 10 in the final 2:23.
“When you have a rookie like that, maybe not playing her best, maybe turning it over, whatever it is, not defending the way we need her to defend and then just kind of willing yourself at the end and willing the team at the end to give us a chance that’s a special player,” coach Cheryl Reeve said.
Miles 3-pointer with 25 seconds left gave the Lynx a 97-96 lead, but Wilson countered with a pair of free throws less than five seconds later to put the Aces back up by one.
A stepback triple by Miles was long with seven seconds left, and after a couple free throws for Vegas, a desperation heave at the buzzer by Courtney Williams was off the mark and the Lynx (10-3) lost for the first time in nine games. Las Vegas (10-3) has won six straight.
Miles somewhat downplayed her offensive success postgame, noting she committed six turnovers. “A lot of them were unforced, but I’ve giving myself grace. I got to learn. It’s my first time playing against them, feeling the pressure of the game. … I’m definitely going to take this one and learn from it, take the good with the bad. It’s not always as bad as you think it is and it’s not always as good as you think it is. Just stay level headed.”
Down by 15 late in the first half, Minnesota methodically chipped away with a Kayla McBride 3-pointer making it a two-point game with 2:47 left. She finished with 19 points.
After a couple Aces’ free throws, Miles scored on a finger roll. Then, after Wilson made a jumper at the other end, Miles responded with a reverse layup and it was 93-91 Las Vegas.
Kayla McBride got a defensive rebound off a Las Vegas miss and Miles drove the lane for a layup and drew a foul on Wilson. The No. 2 pick in this year’s draft calmly sank the ensuing free throw with 48 seconds left and the Lynx 94-93, its first advantage since 4-3.
A questionable foul on McBride — one which was upheld by video review but Reeve said was a misinterpretation of a rule — led to three free throws by Jewell Loyd for a 96-94 Aces lead moments later.
Natasha Howard had 22 points and nine rebounds for the Lynx before fouling out.
She said Minnesota picked up its defensive intensity and was more physical with the Aces after halftime. “We dictated where we wanted them to be on the defensive end. That’s how it was easy to get steals, stops and getting rebounds and pushing the ball. We should have started that off in the first half instead of the second half and we wouldn’t be in this predicament of talking about a loss. … Vegas threw the first punch, but we got to be ready at all times.”
The Lynx return home to host expansion Portland on Monday night.
The Las Vegas Aces will host the Minnesota Lynx Saturday at 8 p.m. ET. The Lynx have the WNBA’s best record despite superstar Napheesa Collier playing zero games this season.
Lynx vs. Aces will air on CBS, and streams on DIRECTV (free trial).
Here’s what you need to know:
What: WNBA regular season
Who: Minnesota Lynx (10-2) vs. Las Vegas Aces (9-3)
When: Saturday, June 13, 2026
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Where: Michelob ULTRA Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
TV: CBS
Live stream: DIRECTV (free trial), fuboTV (free trial), Paramount+
DIRECTV
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What to know about Lynx vs. Aces
Here’s a recent story from the Associated Press:
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Rookie Olivia Miles had 24 points, seven rebounds and six assists, Kayla McBride added 22 points, and the Minnesota Lynx used a big first half to cruise past the Dallas Wings 100-76 on Tuesday night for their eighth straight victory.
Natasha Howard scored 21 points and Courtney Williams added 16 for Minnesota (10-2), which became the first WNBA team to reach 10 wins this season. McBride made four of Minnesota’s seven 3-pointers.
Paige Bueckers led Dallas (7-4) with 23 points. Arike Ogunbowale added 16 points, and Jessica Shepard had 12 points and nine rebounds. Azzi Fudd, the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft, finished with six points on 2-of-12 shooting.
Four of Minnesota’s starters reached double-figure scoring by halftime. Howard and Miles each had 14 points, and McBride and Williams each added 12 to help the Lynx lead 58-38.
Minnesota made 23 of 32 (72%) field goals in the first half, including 6 of 8 3-pointers.
The Lynx led 75-60 entering the fourth, with 71 points coming from their starters. Williams made a basket with 30.7 seconds left to put Minnesota at the 100-point mark for the third time this season.
The teams combined to make 26 straight free throws before a miss with 56.8 seconds left in the fourth.
Up next
Dallas hosts Phoenix on Thursday.
Minnesota plays at Las Vegas on Saturday.
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