LOS ANGELES — Nic Claxton didn’t just keep Anthony Davis from dominating the Nets as usual Friday night. He matched the Lakers’ All-Star play-for-play in Brooklyn’s win.
The young center had 22 points on 11-for-16 shooting from the floor, grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds, blocked a couple of shots and finished plus-8 in 32:43.
After Davis had mauled the Nets for 37 points and 18 rebounds last season, he had a more manageable 26 points, 12 boards and a minus-12 on Friday.
“I definitely carry that chip on my shoulder whenever I’m hooping. Going against a top five center in the league like A.D., I was ready to go. And it’s my challenge to just play that way every single night,” Claxton said. “I think I’m holding it down in Year 5.”
win over the Lakers. AP
Lonnie Walker IV had 15 points in just 13:21 against his former Lakers team Friday. His offensive punch off the bench was sorely missed while he was out for five weeks due to injury.
But after 13 points in nearly 19 minutes against Portland, Walker is continuing to score in bunches despite limited playing time. He’s still on a minute restriction.
“Yeah, we needed Lonnie back. He was an important piece for our team,” Dennis Smith Jr. said of Walker. “He missed a lot of games. But it’s amazing to have him back here. He’s a flamethrower too coming off the bench. We need him.”
Walker had 15 points in the fourth quarter of Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals for the Lakers last year. Now he and Smith are providing energy to the Nets’ second unit.
“I think our bench was really good [Friday],” coach Jacque Vaughn said. “Whether it was Dennis’ energy on the defensive end of the floor to be disruptive, and then Lonnie has proven he has an ability to come into the basketball game and have an impact.
“We missed segments of both of those guys for weeks, throughout the course of the season. And so, for them to feel playing together, cover for each other, how each other plays. It’s only because we have some practice time. We’re using all of it, shootarounds, we’re using all of it and trying to expedite or catch up from some of the stuff we missed in the first 41 games.”
G-League Long Island beat Windy City behind rookie two-way forward Jalen Wilson’s 28 points, six rebounds and five assists.
Two-way guard Keon Johnson chipped in 27 points on 10-for-13 shooting from the field.