LOS ANGELES -- Playing in their first home playoff game in eight years, the Los Angeles Lakers looked like a true championship contender for the first time in a while.
L.A., the No. 7 seed, won 109-95 on Thursday night to take a 2-1 lead in its first-round matchup against the No. 2-seeded Phoenix Suns, with Anthony Davis (34 points, 11 rebounds) and LeBron James (21 points, nine assists) looking like the dynamic duo that led the Lakers to an NBA title last year.
After right leg injuries to Davis and a right ankle injury for James caused the pair to miss a combined 63 games in the regular season, and the Lakers struggled mightily reintegrating their stars -- once dropping eight out of 10 games from late April through early May -- the team has clearly turned a corner.