“After that Portland loss, we took that personally” – Anthony Davis divulges LA Lakers’ mentality after they overcame Miami Heat in overtime thriller

Anthony Davis posted a big 24-point, 13-rebound double-double as the LA Lakers beat the Miami Heat at Staples Center on Wednesday.

This is the Lakers’ second consecutive win after they lost to Portland by double digits on the road last Saturday. Anthony Davis played just seven minutes in that game after a stomach illness forced him to exit the contest.

Speaking on the LA Lakers’ mentality following their 120-117 victory against the Miami Heat, Anthony Davis revealed that the team were hurting after the Portland defeat. The Lakers superstar said:

“After that Portland loss, we took that personally.”

That edge helped the LA Lakers get past the Charlotte Hornets on Monday and the Miami Heat on Wednesday, even as both games were settled only in overtime.

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Anthony Davis says LA Lakers’ Russell Westbrook is fearless

Besides Anthony Davis, two other LA Lakers players came up with big contributions against the Miami Heat.

Russell Westbrook posted his third triple-double of the season, with a 25-point, 12-rebound and 14-assist statline that saw him finish a plus-10 overall. Westbrook is now tied with James Harden for the most triple-doubles this season.

Complimenting Westbrook for his all-round game, Anthony Davis said:

“He played well tonight… He’s fearless… He can miss 20 shots in a row and still take the next one.”

Anthony Davis also showered rich praise on Malik Monk, who came up with a season-high 27 points, 10-of-13 from the field and 4-of-7 from downtown, to give the Lakers a big boost off the bench. Davis said of Monk:

“We call him Microwave. Instant scorer. We still don't know how we got him for what we got him for.”

The LA Lakers were without LeBron James for the sixth time this season. James has missed the Lakers’ last four games because of an abdominal injury.

The LA Lakers are 3-3 without James and are leaning heavily on the Anthony Davis-Russell Westbrook pairing to carry them for as long as the 18-year-veteran remains unavailable. The purple-and-gold franchise will now host the Minnesota Timberwolves at home on Friday.