MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Anthony Davis and LeBron James each scored 26 points, rallying the Los Angeles Lakers to a 94-92 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night.
James added 11 rebounds and seven assists, and Dennis Schroder finished with 12 points for Los Angeles.
“That’s why he’s great,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said of James taking over the game with Davis. “He finds a way to make those superhero-type of plays. Our focus is on making sure we don’t need those superhero-type of plays to close games out.”
Jonas Valanciunas, Dillon Brooks and Gorgui Dieng led Memphis with 13 points apiece, and Brandon Clarke added 12 points. Valanciunas finished with 11 rebounds.
On a poor shooting night for both teams, the Lakers were able to depend on James and Davis down the stretch. Los Angeles trailed 79-77 with five minutes left when the two big men combined for a 9-2 run and an 86-81 lead. The final basket came on a dunk by Davis on an assist from James.
James and Davis combined for a run of 15 points late in the fourth to take the lead to 92-83 with 31.1 seconds left.
“I have a lot of confidence in LeBron James in the fourth quarter,” Vogel said. “I don’t really know any other way to say that. I trust him.”
Memphis was able to put together some late baskets to make it close, but couldn’t overtake the Lakers, who won their fourth straight.
“Obviously in a hard fought game like that, you hope to come out with a victory,” Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said. “But our guys were amazing.
“Effort again. But the attention to detail, the execution. These guys, for 48 minutes, were unbelievable. Came up a little short in the end.”
NUGGETS 123, TIMBERWOLVES 116
DENVER — Nikola Jokic scored 13 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter after losing his cool earlier in the game, and the Denver Nuggets scrambled late to beat Minnesota 123-116 on Tuesday night for their 10th straight win over the Timberwolves.
Jokic shook off two second-quarter technical fouls — one for hanging on the rim and another for jawing at an official — to lead the Nuggets to the comeback victory. He also had 15 rebounds.
Will Barton added 20 points and reserve JaMychal Green had 17 for the Nuggets, who squandered an 18-point lead in the first half and fell behind by eight. Denver held Minnesota scoreless for more than five minutes during the decisive stretch.
D’Angelo Russell scored 33 points and Juancho Hernangomez added 25 against his former team. It was the fifth straight loss for the Timberwolves.
SPURS 116, CLIPPERS 113
LOS ANGELES — Patty Mills came off the bench to hit a career-high eight 3-pointers and scored 27 points, and San Antonio defeated the Clippers to snap a four-game skid.
Dejounte Murray added 21 points, Rudy Gay had 16 points, LaMarcus Aldridge 14 points and Keldon Johnson a career-high 11 rebounds for the Spurs. They led by 24 in the first quarter and withstood an onslaught by Kawhi Leonard in the third before nearly blowing their lead in the fourth.
Leonard scored a game-high 30 points and had 10 assists. He had 11 points in the third, when Patrick Beverley made three 3-pointers, and the Clippers closed within one. Nicolas Batum had 21 points and nine rebounds, and Beverley finished with 20 points.
The Clippers were without Paul George, who tweaked his ankle in Sunday’s win over Phoenix.
NETS 130, JAZZ 96
NEW YORK — Kyrie Irving scored 20 of his 29 points in the first half to lead the undermanned Brooklyn past Utah.
Brooklyn, which entered the game having lost two straight and four of five, never trailed.
As brilliant as he was individually, Irving had help from Jarrett Allen and Caris LeVert.
Jarrett Allen recorded his third double-double of the season with 19 points and 18 rebounds, and Caris LeVert had 24 points off the bench. Joe Harris chipped in with 10 points.
Donovan Mitchell led Utah with game-high 31 points. Jordan Clarkson added 12, and Rudy Gobert and Royce O’Neale had 10 each for the Jazz, whose two-game winning steak was snapped.
BULLS 111, TRAIL BLAZERS 108
PORTLAND, Ore. — Coby White had 21 points and 10 rebounds and short-handed Chicago downed Portland.
Otto Porter Jr. added 19 points and 13 rebounds for the Bulls, who have won four of their last five games.
CJ McCollum led the Blazers with 26 points, including six 3-pointers. Damian Lillard had 24 points and nine assists.
The Blazers led by as many as 20 points early in the game, but the Bulls chipped away at the lead.
