In a season full of peaks and valleys, Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers are getting closer to the pinnacle. The defending champion Golden State Warriors had zero answers for Davis on either end in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals as the eight-time All-Star showed he meant business in his quest for a second championship. Andrew Wiggins thought he found an opening in the Lakers’ defense on a drive to the hole only to have Davis unceremoniously turn him aside with an emphatic rejection despite Davis’ momentum carrying him away from the basket. Davis made 9 of his first 10 shots en route to a dominant 30-point, 23-rebound, five-assist, four-block showing in a 117-112 road victory on May 2, 2023. · May 3, 2023