This archive report was first published on 4 August 2020.
Anthony Davis Leads Lakers to Top Spot in Western Conference ¶
On August 3, 2020, the Los Angeles Lakers secured top seeding in the Western Conference with a 116-108 victory over the Utah Jazz.
Anthony Davis led the Lakers with 42 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, and three steals. LeBron James added 22 points and nine assists as the Lakers pulled away from a stubborn Utah side.
"All the stuff we've been through this season, to clinch No.1 in the West means a lot but we're not finished," Davis said. "It's just one of the milestones of many to get to where we want to be."
With the win, the Lakers secured their first top spot in the West since 2010, when the late Kobe Bryant led the team to the NBA Finals crown.
Elsewhere on Monday, Fred VanVleet scored a career-high 36 points as the Toronto Raptors defeated the Miami Heat 107-103 in their Eastern Conference clash.
VanVleet led the scoring for the Raptors with a haul that included seven three-pointers from 12 attempts as Toronto improved to 48-18 to remain in second place in the East.
Nikola Jokic had a triple-double as the Denver Nuggets overpowered the Oklahoma City Thunder in a 121-113 overtime victory.
Michael Porter led the Denver scoring with a career-high 37 points, while Paul Millsap and Monte Morris had 17 points each.
