Rui Hachimura scored an NBA career-high 36 points and Anthony Davis poured in 37 to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 138-122 victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday.
With superstar LeBron James resting an injured ankle, Hachimura and Davis demolished an undersized Utah frontline and helped the Lakers improve to 6-1 over their last seven games before the NBA All-Star break.
Shouldering the type of offensive load expected of him when he plays for the Japanese national team, Hachimura shot 13-of-19 from the field, including a personal-best six three-pointers, while also using his physical strength to get to the basket at will.
"It was just simple basketball," said the 26-year-old power forward, who informed reporters of his intention to play for Japan at the Paris Olympics a day earlier.
Davis dominated the glass, pulling down 15 boards, as he and Hachimura became the first Lakers teammates to score 35-plus points in the same game since Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal in 2003.
Lakers point guard D'Angelo Russell also logged a career high as he dished out 17 assists.
The Lakers' recent winning run overlaps with a return to the starting lineup for Hachimura, who has started the last six games for head coach Darvin Ham.
The Akatsuki Japan star said he had found a better rhythm thanks to "getting more touches," and that both he and his teammates were benefiting from the improved chemistry among the starters.
"When I get into the game I want to impact the game, it's always my goal," Hachimura said.
"I want to win the game, but I want to be the X factor for the team, either coming off the bench or starting, whatever that is, offensively or defensively. I've just got to be aggressive, use my size, whatever it takes to win."
Following a seven-day break for the All-Star Game, in which they will be represented by Davis and James, the Lakers will head into the final 26-game stretch of the season aiming to improve their ninth-place standing in a closely fought Western Conference playoff race.
"We've just got to keep building chemistry for the playoffs," Hachimura said. "We've got a couple of days for All-Star break, then we come back for the last push here."
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