The Los Angeles Lakers will go as far in the Playoffs as superstar big man Anthony Davis can take them, with Davis starting the season as one of the few MVP candidates in the NBA. He recently spoke to Mellisa Rohlin of FOX Sports, discussing a variety of topics relating to the Lakers’ start this season.
Davis opened up on his relationship with LeBron James and how well they fit on the court together, also discussing the moment Davis took charge as the team’s No. 1 option.
“He’s the greatest ever to lace up some shoes, [scored] over 40,000 points and he’s broken almost every record possible. So any time you have a guy on your team like that, he commands just so much attention. Also, his IQ is very high, he plays the right way, things like that. I think now it’s just obviously he’s getting a little bit older, still being able to do what he’s able to do, which he still knows night in and night out that he can compete at a high level.”
“But I just know in order for us to do something we’ve talked about in previous years and this year, that in order for us to reach the promised land, I have to play how I’m playing now. It’s never been a conversation with me and him where it’s like, ‘Hey, this is your team and I’m giving you the keys or whatever.’ It’s just been something that we’ve just played off of each other. And it just happened.”
Davis spoke about the Lakers season so far as well, making it clear that he and LeBron want to win another championship together.
“Right now we’re in control of our own destiny since we’re sitting in the [sixth] seed, so we’ve just got to continue to do what we do. [LeBron and I] definitely want to win another championship. I want to win another championship. I want a parade. I want to experience that. I know [LeBron] wants to. I know some guys on our team want to win their first one. We’re all competitive and we’re all playing for each other and just trying to play the right way for one common goal.”
Finally, Davis has started this season with his best shot at winning MVP in years, commenting on the same to FOX Sports.
“The MVP stuff and all that stuff will come whenever it comes, if it comes. It’s not like I’m going to dominate so I can win MVP. I think a lot of times when players focus on winning an individual award, they get lost in that and not focusing on team basketball.
“If I had the mindset, oh, I have to win the scoring title, I have to average 30 [points] every game, then I’d be forcing shots and doing things just to score 30, just to get the scoring title, just to try to get MVP — and now my team is losing. As long as my team is winning and playing the right way, that’s my MO. I don’t care about anything else.”
Davis is averaging 28.6 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.2 steals, and 2.0 blocks this season. He’s taken the mantle of the Lakers’ No. 1 offensive option from LeBron, leading the squad in scoring. This would only be their second season as teammates, where Davis would average more points than LeBron and the first year would come in 2020 when they won a title.
There are valid questions about Davis’ spotty consistency and the overall requirement of the Lakers being a top-four team in the West to compete for the MVP. The same would apply to the DPOY, another trophy that has eluded Davis his entire career.
While the Lakers are a top-six seed at the moment, they need to make some major trades to actually have the personnel required to be competitive from now until the end of the season.
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