Carmelo Anthony Turns Back Clock in LA; Sparks Lakers for first win of the season against Ja Morant-led Grizzlies
Carmelo Anthony turned back the clock and exploded for 28 points off the bench to deliver the first win of the Lakers in Los Angeles against the Ja Morant-led Memphis Grizzlies, 121-118.
Historic Night for Carmelo Anthony
According to the Associated Press, the NBA star Carmelo Anthony had just scored a team-high 28 points to give the LA Lakers their first regular-season win. The outstanding scoring night for Melo placed his ninth place on the NBA's career scoring list.
Melo dropped a team-high 28-point explosion off the bench, leading the charge against the young Memphis Grizzlies team.
The 37-year-old Anthony showed that he still had a lot of gas in his tank. Melo proved that he still has value in his 19th NBA season. The Lakers wingman hit 10 of his 15 shots from the field and went lights-out 6-8 from beyond the arc.
Moreover, Melo also passed Moses Malone for ninth place in the NBA's all-time scoring list when he drained a three in the third quarter, securing his 27,411th career point.
The purple and gold squad dodged a 40-point performance from rising star Ja Morant who was hot all night long.
With the Lakers up three points in the closing seconds, Morant was fouled by Lakers guard Kent Bazemore on a three-point attempt with 2.5 seconds remaining. Morant drained his first two shots at the charity stripe but missed what would have been the game-tying free throw, allowing the LA Lakers to escape a possible overtime loss.
READ MORE : LeBron James Says Russell Westbrook Should Watch a Comedy After Disappointing Lakers Debut
LA Lakers Starters Came Out in Win Against Grizzlies
The four of the Lakers' five starters scored in double-digits as LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook all showed what makes them superstars despite an inefficient shooting night.
Laker guard Russell Westbrook struggled from the field once again, scoring 13 points on 5-14 shooting night, but he facilitated the offense with a team-high 13 assists to go along with six rebounds. He also had a scoring run which enabled the Lakers to keep their lead in the game.
The King played 40 minutes and went 7-19 from the field as well as 4-9 from deep, notching 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists, displaying another complete outing.
Also, Lakers big man Davis went 8-15 for 22 points and eight rebounds along with four blocks. Davis anchored the Lakers' defense that was just good enough to secure a victory. L.A. had 10 steals and 12 blocks as a team. The purple and gold squad also forced 17 turnovers against the Grizzlies.
After Memphis took a quick 10-point lead over the Lakers' starters in the first quarter, the home team stormed back on a 32-11 run. The Lakers displayed good defense and showed their ball movement.
Furthermore, the game against the Grizzlies showed a glimpse of what the Lakers had been building in the past couple of years as they fired on all cylinders.
READ NEXT : Carmelo Anthony to Join LeBron James After He Agrees to One-Year Deal With Los Angeles Lakers
This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Jess Smith
WATCH: HIGHLIGHTS | Carmelo Anthony (28 pts, 6/8 3pt) vs Memphis Grizzlies -Los Angeles Lakers
Subscribe to Latin Post!
Sign up for our free newsletter for the Latest coverage!