It appears that Anthony Davis is ready to do what’s asked of him as the Los Angeles Lakers gear up for the NBA 2022-23 season.
After missing out on a postseason berth last year, the upgraded roster and a healthy Davis look to mount a formidable comeback, and for the latter, it’s the larger picture even if it means playing a different position than what he preferred.
ESPN reporter Dave McMenamin took to Twitter to post a snippet of what the big man said about being a potential 5 for the team.
Anthony Davis on how he feels about potentially starting at the 5: "I trust Coach’s decision. I mean, I’m pretty sure he heard AD wants to play the 4, so he knows where I stand, but at the end of the day, I want to win, so if that’s me playing the 5, that’s what it’s got to be."
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) October 13, 2022
“Anthony Davis on how he feels about potentially starting at the 5: “I trust Coach’s decision. I mean, I’m pretty sure he heard AD wants to play the 4, so he knows where I stand, but at the end of the day, I want to win, so if that’s me playing the 5, that’s what it’s got to be.”
The numbers also suggest that Davis at the Center greatly increases the Lakers’ chances of success.
AD at the 5 may be the move…👀 pic.twitter.com/5PAOvscRk9
— Lakers Daily (@LakersDailyCom) October 12, 2022
Per a tweet by Lakers Daily, the side is +257 when he’s at the five.
Anthony Davis Had A Good Preseason Despite The Final Outcome For The Lakers
The Lakers may have lost three of the four preseason games, but for Davis, the time on the court was certainly encouraging as he showed a glimpse of what he’s capable of when he’s healthy.
He had 11 points against the Sacramento Kings, which he bettered by pouring 28 points against the Warriors. This was followed by 19 points against Minnesota. This certainly augurs as good news and also hints at the damage that he can cause at Center — something that was evident against Golden State.
Earlier, coach Darvin Ham said that playing Davis in that position was under “heavy consideration.” With him at the center, the team has a chance to perform better than a lineup that’s with him when he’s playing power forward.
The logic is fairly simple: Bigs have it easy on the offense when they’re surrounded by shooters, which is unlikely if the center is traditional.
His versatility does it for the Lakers, but health will be a major factor. By the looks of it, Davis at the 5 shouldn’t come as a surprise when the team opens their campaign in an away fixture against the Warriors on Opening Night on October 18.
