With LeBron James sidelined, Anthony Davis has put up huge numbers in two straight Lakers wins, writes Jovan Buha of The Athletic. Davis scored 38 points, snagged 16 rebounds and blocked four shots in Friday’s victory over the Pistons, following up a 37-point, 18-rebound effort Sunday against the Nets. Davis is living up to a promise he made to new head coach Darvin Ham before the season began to take on a larger role in the offense.
“I think it’s extremely important,” Ham said. “AD has to be the leading force, the leading charge just in terms of how we want to play inside and outside basketball. … He can carry us through certain segments of the game and, obviously, we see what he does down the stretch.”
Davis scored 16 points in the fourth quarter against Detroit to break open a close game. He also got the Pistons in foul trouble and made 18-of-21 shots from the line — both of those numbers are season highs.
“AD was great in the half-roll tonight out of pick-and-roll,” Ham said. “They doubled teamed him a ton whenever he would isolate in the post or whatever, fronting him and doing different double schemes at him. But he stayed the course and stayed aggressive and 21 free throws. I think that’s wonderful. For him to knock 18 of them down … Just his presence, man. He’s been a big force for us all year and tonight was no different.”
There’s more on the Lakers:
- Davis’ lack of involvement in the offense was among the issues addressed at a film session last Saturday, Buha adds. Team leaders also discussed cutting down on turnovers and fouls, protecting the defensive glass and improving transition defense. Although it was intended as a no-holds-barred meeting, some players still weren’t prepared for Patrick Beverley‘s abrasive style. “The main guy who a lot of us had to get used to for that was Pat,” Davis said. “But he gives good messages. And he said this thing one time, he was like, ‘If I yell, ‘I love you,’ you not gonna get mad, you know what I’m saying?’ So listen to the message and not the tone.”
- James is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN. He has missed the past three games with a left adductor strain, but the Lakers’ schedule worked to his advantage as the team had four straight off days this week.
- Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register talked to Ham’s peers in the coaching profession to see why he’s so highly regarded.
They play better without Grandpa Bron
This is true because Lebron playing hero/iso ball is killing their offense. If Lebron focuses on being a pass first player then he can be effective and will definitely help the team win games.
Yeah it reminds me of Jordan on the wizards at the end of his career. Dude is trying to be the guy he was 5-10 years ago but that dude is gone. You’ll still see flashes of it from time to time but overall time wins again.
F*** P Bev
Pat “Smoke-n-Mirrors” Bev….
Now he’s attempting to fool his teammates into buying the disrespectful tone/delivery of his “messages”…. and they’re buying it!
Bron is chasing history …. he doesn’t believe in this team. Lakers window is shut. Weren’t we saying that after they got a COVID title.
“We” were not. I felt coming off the title they were in a good position until they made the trade for Russ. That was this teams undoing. They didn’t need another “star” then. They needed more shooting and defense, then you just roll with LeBron and AD. Even after that though they’ve had opportunities to fix it and just haven’t. Now this season they’re done, no question. *If* they figure out roster construction moving forward though, I think the window is still cracked.
Also, it was a Championship- not a “Covid title.” Everyone played under the same circumstances. I don’t get why people want to asterisks it. It wasn’t as if they cheated to win it.
They say “covid title” because their team hasn’t won any or as many titles as the Lakers. They like to diminish what others teams have to feel better about their team. What’s sad, is they probably do this in every day life too. They look to someone who is successful and diminish what they have done to feel better about what they have accomplished
That window is owned by Bron. That’s why they went after Russ. So the window was shut then by him. Same thing. Imo Lakers worked that COVID title well. Props to them. But they were never going to win another. AD and Bron don’t play D. And they gave up on their rim protection.
If I yell, I love you… That is nonsense. Carpenters work on loud jobs all day, and they would be in a fist fight if another starts yelling, and doesn’t pick the right words, approach, subject, tone, and volume. The arena better be loud, or I’d bet LBJ folds Pat like a preztel
For AD to stay healthy they need to limit his minutes. The previous coach over used AD. Ham must be careful in his minutes management.