The Los Angeles Lakers didn’t hesitate to give up a lot of assets to land Anthony Davis because they knew how good he was.
And even though he’s often failed to live up to the expectations, it’s become more than evident that he’s been the team’s most important player, even ahead of LeBron James.
A healthy and motivated Davis is the X-factor the Lakers need to get over the hump, as he’s the ultimate matchup nightmare.
His offensive expertise, on top of his well-known shot-blocking and rim-protection skills, make former NBA coach Sam Mitchell argue that he’s actually a more valuable player in the playoffs than Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Sam Mitchell: "I can make an argument that [Anthony Davis] is more valuable than Giannis [Antetokounmpo] come playoff time because of his ability to shoot outside and make free throws."
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— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) August 22, 2023
Per Mitchell, Davis is better in the sense that he can actually step up to the perimeter and knock down his free throws.
Of course, that’s only right, assuming Davis is a) healthy and b) consistent, and those two things have rarely happened.
Stephen A. Smith recently called him a roller coaster because he’s constantly going up and down, calling him out for not being consistent night in and night out.
Giannis, on the other hand, knows his game is still flawed, but he continues to find ways to get to his spots and get an edge with his strength, speed, and athleticism.
At the end of the day, no one can deny Davis’ impact on both ends of the floor, and he could enter the conversation of the best player in the league.
But that’s all meaningless unless he’s able to do it on a nightly basis.
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