LeBron James may be one of the greatest players ever, but it’s not always easy being his teammate. Speaking on the ‘Run it Back’ show, Cousins pointed out some of the downsides to teaming up with the King and what the partnership has done for Anthony Davis.
“I think it comes with the environment. We all know it’s a list of guys that’s gonna be blamed before it gets to the best player on the team… You can average 25 and 12 and it still not be enough,” Cousins said. “That’s not enough. It’s championship or bust no matter the season, no matter the time,” Cousins said. “That’s just the territory that comes with being a teammate of LeBron James, because greatness always comes with him, and the same thing goes with being a Laker. So, I think that plays a huge part in the criticism he (Davis) receives…”
"That's just the territory that comes with being a teammate of LeBron James, because greatness always comes with him…I think that plays a huge part in the criticism [Anthony Davis] receives."@boogiecousins on why AD gets so much criticism. pic.twitter.com/hBoLWZaAvA
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) March 21, 2024
Anthony Davis has more than fulfilled his obligations this season and he’s been one of the league’s best defenders from the start. In what has been a surprisingly healthy campaign for him, Davis is averaging 24.4 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game on 55.4% shooting. He is also fifth in blocks with an average of 2.4 per game.
Despite his strong play, Davis has been the center of slander and criticism all season long as the Lakers have continued losing games. Currently ranked 9th in the West, the situation this season is just not going to cut it for fans who expected this group to compete for titles.
With LeBron James in his 21st season and not much longer left, the pressure is higher than ever for Anthony Davis to pick up the slack and lighten the burden for his championship teammate. And while no trades are imminent right now, anything but the best from Davis this spring could spark some serious conversations in the future.
Can LeBron James Win Another Championship?
As a 4x champion, 4x MVP, and 20x All-Star, LeBron James has nothing left to prove in the NBA. Even at 39 years old he’s one of the best players in the game and his play this season is the only reason why the Lakers have a chance against the Western elites.
After capturing the title in 2020, LeBron proved that he was still in the mix and made it so that as long as he and Anthony Davis are healthy, they will be playing with championship expectations.
Sadly, it’s been nothing but a disaster since their championship run and Lakers fans have raised hell the whole time.
After letting go of many of the role-players who made them so successful, the team decided to pursue Russell Westbrook and it’s a mistake they are still trying to recover from. Today, even with Westbrook long gone, the Lakers are struggling to re-capture their championship form.
As the fans and executives grow increasingly impatient, the pressure will continue to build in Los Angeles for the Lakers to get back to their winning ways and give LeBron the ending that he deserves. Of course, nobody will be under more pressure than Anthony Davis, who will be the first one blamed if things go horribly wrong.
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