Anthony Davis explodes for historic 50-point game as Los Angeles Lakers cruise past Minnesota Timberwolves

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LeBron James & Anthony Davis

The Los Angeles Lakers rode Anthony Davis' season-high performance of 50 points to cruise to a comfortable win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. 

With the win, the Lakers are holders of the league's best record at 21-3. 

For the Timberwolves, eight players scored in double figures as they slipped their fourth consecutive loss.

Here are the biggest takeaways from this clash:

The Anthony Davis show 

It was the AD show right from the first quarter. 

As the Lakers outscored the Wolves 39-31 in the opening period, Davis already had 17 points (7-9 FG's) . He exploded for double-digit points in the next two quarters as well, scoring 10 in the second (5-6 FG's) and 15 (6-10 FG's) in the third.

He became only the third Laker this decade, after Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, to record a 50-point game.

He finished the game with 50 points (20-29 FG's - 69.2%), seven rebounds, six assists, and four steals in 39 minutes of action. Davis reached the 50-point landmark in just his 23rd game as a Laker, the third-fastest in franchise history  after James (16th) and Cedric Ceballos (22nd). 

Davis made 16 of his 20 field goals in the paint and reached that season-high mark without making a single 3-pointer.

“An old-school, smash-mouth way of getting 50, no threes,” Lakers head coach Frank Vogel said of Davis' game. 

It's only the fourth time in the past decade that a player has scored 50 or more without making a single shot from beyond the arc. Three of those four performances are by Davis .

Lakers offence clicks for second straight game

While Davis stole the spotlight, a couple of other Lakers had great games as well. 

LeBron James recorded his 17th point-assist double-double of the season, going off for 32 points (12-20 FG's) and 13 assists.

After combining for 71 with Davis in their last game, the duo combined for 82 in this one, becoming the first Laker teammates combine for 70+ points in back-to-back games since Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal in 2003. 

Off the bench, Alex Caruso made the most of Rajon Rondo and Avery Bradley not suiting up by recording a season-high 16 points (6-11 FG's). 

For the second-straight game, the Lakers broke their season-high tally in points. 

Tough road test ahead?

Since their opening night loss, the Lakers haven't lost a single game on the road.

They have won 12 road games in a row and have swept three road trips of 3 games or more.

After this game, they are now set for a huge test - 5 games in 10 days on the East Coast which ends with a matchup against the reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks in Milwaukee. 

At the end of this road trip, will the Lakers come out unbeaten?

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