Anthony Davis was the main talking point for everyone heading out of Game 1 between the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors.
Davis scored 30 points and grabbed 23 rebounds in a dominant two-way performance which coach Darvin Ham was left extremely impressed by.
“He had some monster performances that year he was with New Orleans, but all of that is in the past. I think he’s doing exactly what I anticipated him to do. He’s playing like the top five NBA player that he is.”
"He's playing like the top 5 NBA player that he is." 🗣️
– Darvin Ham after AD's 30 PTS, 23 REB Game 1#NBAPlayoffs presented by Google Pixel pic.twitter.com/c9m7awPC9Q
— NBA (@NBA) May 3, 2023
Davis is averaging 22.1 points, 15.0 rebounds, and 4.3 blocks in the playoffs. His offensive numbers have struggled due to inconsistencies in production but AD has been a defensive monster consistently. He has more blocks than assists so far in the playoffs and is dominating the paint in almost every game, whether offensively or defensively.
The Number One Option On The Lakers
It’s become obvious in the playoffs that the Lakers are using AD as their primary option instead of LeBron James, a decision that seems motivated by LBJ himself. We’re seeing the best version of off-ball LBJ, as he’s letting his younger teammates do most of the heavy lifting while stepping up in important moments.
Davis’ sudden spike in block numbers can also be credited to the LBJ and Jarred Vanderbilt frontcourt defense combination, funneling players from the baseline or the weak side to the paint where AD is ready to meet them. The Lakers played drop coverage and still managed to beat a Warriors team that was shooting lights out for most of the game.
Game 2 is going to be a war tomorrow night, as the Lakers will look to go back home with a 2-0 lead. Anthony Davis needs to repeat his Game 1 heroics to ensure that is possible.
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