Anthony Davis heading to the locker room is a tradition unlike any other, so it was fitting that the star big man's best game yet with the Los Angeles Lakers started with an early trip there on Tuesday night. 

It turned out he just needed to re-tape his sore right shoulder, which was good news, because he returned to the floor and finished with 40 points, 20 rebounds and two blocks in the Lakers' 120-91 win over the visiting Memphis Grizzlies. After the game, Davis spoke about his nagging shoulder issue.

"It was bothering me a lot, it was really sore but I didn't want to come out of the game," Davis said after the game. "So I just went to the back and adjusted things and felt good to go back out. Late in the second it felt good, did some more stuff at halftime and wanted to test it out in the third and it felt good."

Forty-point, 20-rebound performances are rare in general, but Davis took his performance to an even more unique place by doing so in just three quarters, and with only 17 shot attempts. He went 7-of-17 from the field, but knocked down an astounding 26-of-27 free throws, the latter of which was a career-high and a Lakers record.

Comparing players to Shaquille O'Neal and Wilt Chamberlain is often a poor idea, but in Davis' case it simply must be done -- not least because all three are Lakers. First of all, Davis was the first Laker to put up 40 points and 20 rebounds in a game since Shaq did it back in 2003.

Yet somehow that's not even close to the most impressive historical fact about Davis' performance. In finishing with at least 40 points, 20 rebounds and 25 made free throws, Davis became just the second player in NBA history to put up those numbers in one game. The other? Wilt. 

Oh, and he did it in his historic 100-point game. (Side note: Chamberlain only making 28 free throws en route to 100 points might be the most surprising aspect of that accomplishment.)

Adding to the uniqueness of Davis' performance is that on a typical 40-point night, there would be a lengthy highlight reel to show, but because he scored so many points at the line, that isn't the case. You can wrap up all of Davis' highlights from the night in less than 45 seconds, and that's with including a few of the free throws. How strange that a night as dominant as Davis's was at times dull to watch. 

In any case, this type of performance is exactly why Rob Pelinka and the Lakers were so eager to bring Davis to L.A. They essentially sacrificed the second half of last season, and dragged the franchise and many of their players through a traumatic press relations fiasco, but they eventually got their man. 

Was it worth it? Yes, one hundred percent yes. There are only a few players in the league who can take over games like Davis did against the Grizzlies, and the Lakers have one of them.  

As far as Davis' shoulder goes, it shouldn't be of major concern going forward.

"I'm fine, obviously it's still a little sore, I got hit on a couple times tonight," Davis said. "We got a couple days before we play again so hopefully it feels a lot better by then."

The Lakers head to Dallas to take on Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzings Friday night, so Davis will have more than enough time to rest his shoulder, and recover from his stellar scoring performance.