With LeBron James sidelined by injury, the Los Angeles Lakers really need Anthony Davis to lead the team and dig deep.
That’s exactly what the big man did on Wednesday night in a 99-94 win against the Portland Trail Blazers.
He put up 30 points and 15 rebounds in the game, giving him one of the best stat lines of the season and proving to Lakers fans that he still has the talent, skill, and fire in his belly needed to help the team push into the postseason.
Anthony Davis tonight:
30 Points
15 Rebounds
3 Blocks
56% FG pic.twitter.com/Zk8QrS8E5G— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 3, 2022
This is the sort of Davis that the Lakers need – but is he here to stay?
Davis’ Defense
The way that he played on Wednesday night reminded many that he’s truly one of the best big men in the league, he’s just usually held back by a lackluster roster and nagging injuries.
To be quite honest, Davis has been something of an afterthought for the Lakers this year.
That’s mostly due to the fact that more emphasis and focus has been on Russell Westbrook and James’ incredible season.
Additionally, Davis has had bad luck with his health and has suffered multiple injuries, meaning the team has had to struggle forward without him.
But his performance against the Trail Blazers shows that no one should forget about Davis and his abilities.
He has been quietly building a very impressive string of games.
In his last three games, he has put up 31, 27, and 30 points respectively.
Anthony Davis last 3 games:
29.3 PPG
10.7 RPG
2.7 BPG
57.6 FG%Still elite. pic.twitter.com/6O4ErvRiSw
— StatMuse (@statmuse) February 3, 2022
That’s the sort of output the team will need from Davis until – and after – James returns.
The next few weeks for the team are pivotal because they are fighting to avoid the play-in tournament.
Right now the team is ninth in the West but they are desperately fighting to make the sixth seed.
That will be no small feat and quite the task so Davis will be required to have nights like this, again and again, to make that happen.
Like the rest of his team, Davis has been uneven all season so it’s vital that he stays consistent with these numbers if the Lakers hope to survive the rest of this season.
Leading Without LeBron
When James went down with his latest knee injury, it was said that Davis would need to become the man who the team can rally behind.
Davis seems more than willing to do that.
He even told Sports Illustrated that he’s ready to take on the leadership role:
“[I’m] trying to lead the team. I think we all kinda felt, after the Atlanta loss – just try to come out with the mindset of ending this streak. We got a couple at home. Play with a force. Play with some urgency.”
Are we seeing a new and improved version of Davis?
That remains to be seen, he’s only stepped it up for a few games.
And it needs to be mentioned that Davis’ big game Wednesday night was against an inferior team that is infamously known for its weak offense.
Still, Davis should be celebrated because he did exactly what the team needed and he revived LA’s postseason hopes.
Can you imagine Davis playing like he did Wednesday alongside a healthy James and a Westbrook who is able to assist and make plays and stay consistent?
You can be sure that’s exactly the sort of dream scenario that Lakers fans are thinking of right now.
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