Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers has gotten a lot of flack since joining the team.
Yes, he was part of the team’s championship run a few seasons ago but he has also suffered quite a few injuries that have kept him in street clothes on the side of the court.
This has angered fans and a lot of people feel the big man is unreliable and not able to do his job.
Some even say that he spends more time on the sidelines than he does in-game.
Pretty eye-popping stat here from @ramonashelburne on Anthony Davis’ availability and the Battle of LA via NBA Today. pic.twitter.com/WRozEjqGbq
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) September 21, 2022
That’s simply not true, as pointed out by Ramona Shelburne on ESPN.
While he has missed a good amount of games, Davis’ absences haven’t surpassed those of other beloved superstars.
“Anthony Davis has this reputation for not being available. Charles Barkley calls him ‘Street Clothes.’ He’s played in more games in those years since 2019 than either Kawhi or Paul George,” Shelburne said.
Shelburne’s numbers are accurate and they give a different perspective on the Davis situation.
He does need to stay healthier, there is no doubt about that.
But the issues he has are common across the league, even with other outstanding All-Stars.
Damage-Free Davis
The hope among Lakers fans is that Davis stays healthy all season long.
A few missed games here and there are understandable but long stretches without Davis due to injuries really hurt the team.
They are only made worse by the fact that Davis’ teammate, LeBron James, has also been affected by injuries more and more lately.
That means that the Lakers are sometimes without both Davis and James for weeks, if not months.
As you can imagine, the team just cannot function well without both of these guys.
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