Anthony Davis is one of the best big men in the league when he’s healthy. There’s no doubt that he has an impact on both ends of the floor and is a versatile player that has shown that he can be a key player on a championship team.
Despite his talent and ability, Anthony Davis has often been criticized for his poor availability and constant injuries. Anthony Davis has previously clapped back at haters who attack him for his durability, claiming that people have a problem with him whether he plays through injury or not.
“This is what I’ve learned about injuries: Last year when I wasn’t playing, people were saying ‘AD’s giving up on his team. It’s the playoffs. AD has to play. He’s got to play.’ And when I went out there to play, got hurt again, they said, ‘Who was his trainer? Who let him play?’
“So, what the [expletive] do you want me to do? When I play, it’s a problem. It’s a problem when I don’t play. At the end of the day, I’ve got to do what’s best for me and how my body feels. And we go from there. I’m not worried about who’s saying what or who thinks this about me because none of them have stepped on the floor and played. And the ones that did play, they should understand.
“These aren’t little ticky-tack injuries.”
Anthony Davis shouldn’t necessarily play through injuries, as that can aggravate them even further. The key for him is having his body be right on a consistent basis, and if he needs to sit out to be completely healthy, then he should absolutely do so.
Anthony Davis Has Been More Available Than The Clippers’ Stars, Says Ramona Shelburne
Though Anthony Davis has often been unavailable for the Los Angeles Lakers, there are definitely other stars that miss more games than him yearly. Ramona Shelburne has recently pointed out that Anthony Davis has played more games since 2019 than Kawhi Leonard or Paul George, defending him against some of the criticism about his availability.
"I know Anthony Davis has this reputation for not being available. Charles Barkley calls him street clothes. He's played in more games since 2019 than either Kawhi Leonard or Paul George. AD played 138, Kawhi played 102, Paul George played 133."
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 20, 2022
I know that 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 Leonard or Paul George. AD played 138, Kawhi played 102, Paul George played 133. As unavailable as he has been, has played in more games than Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
Hopefully, we see Anthony Davis have a healthy season with the Los Angeles Lakers next year. It would be good to see him back at his peak, and he will be key for the Lakers if they are to get far in the postseason.
The Los Angeles Lakers have also revamped their roster to better support their stars, focusing on defensive-minded players. Anthony Davis will have less of a load on that end of the floor, and perhaps that will result in improved durability and better performance in the playoffs.
