NEW ORLEANS (Louisiana) • Anthony Davis maintained his incredible start to the National Basketball Association (NBA) regular season with a 41-point haul as the New Orleans Pelicans demolished the Los Angeles Lakers 105-88 on Tuesday.
Davis also plucked 16 rebounds as the Pelicans snapped a two-game losing streak with their fifth straight home victory at the Smoothie King Centre.
The win saw the Pelicans improve to 7-12 while the Lakers fell to 9-10.
Davis' tally marked the seventh time this season he has finished with at least 35 points and 10 rebounds in a game.
The 23-year-old forward is now averaging 32.1 points per game for the season, and leads the league's scoring standings from Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook (30.9 points per game).
"I put in so much work to try and better myself as a basketball player, and when I'm on the floor I feel like no one can stop me," Davis said.
"It's just making the right read."
He was given offensive support from centre Omer Asik, who supplied a double-double of his own, with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Guard Jrue Holiday added 22 points.
The Lakers were left struggling after an early injury to Nick Young, who left the game after just 1min 50sec of the first period with a strained right Achilles.
The Lakers later said Young would undergo a scan today to assess the extent of the injury.
Lou Williams top-scored for Los Angeles with 16 points, Julius Randle finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds while Timofey Mozgov finished with 10 points and nine rebounds.
"He's all over the court," Lakers coach Luke Walton said of Davis.
"He's challenging three-point shots. He's hitting the offensive glass. He's as good as it gets in this league. There's really not a single weakness to his whole game."
Walton also highlighted the importance of a good defence following the defeat.
"Obviously we couldn't make shots tonight, but that happens in the NBA," he said.
"That is why it's so important for us to become a defensive team that can get stops. So when we're not making anything like tonight, at least we still give ourselves a chance."
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
