Clearly, Anthony Davis must stay healthy if the Los Angeles Lakers want to win the title next year. He has been the anchor of the Lakers’ defense and became the best defense last season under the leadership of the eight-time All-Star. That is why the team was able to stop the second-seed Memphis Grizzlies and the then-defending champions Golden State Warriors in Round 1 and Round 2, respectively. But the Lakers could not stop the eventual champions, the Denver Nuggets.
The team from Colorado had the best attack last season. It was a great battle between the best defense and the best attack in the Western Conference Finals. However, the Nuggets blew the 17-time champions away in straight four games of the conference finals. Despite what happened in the WCF, fans cannot deny the importance of Anthony Davis and his fitness. But will he be able to sway fans’ hearts and minds next year? AD will have to show his finesse game once again if he wants to win another ring for his team.
Anthony Davis Must Stay Healthy And Display Consistency Next Season
Many players feel the pressure of playing for the Lakers, but none more so than AD. It is because ever since he joined the side, the team has progressed as far as Davis has. According to Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley, the LA side needs a constantly dominating AD on the court. It is because it makes a difference when the eight-time All-Star is not aggressive. However, the problem with Anthony Davis is he has not been consistent enough. Even though LeBron James is still there, AD is the most crucial part of the Los Angeles Lakers.
This time, James is getting ready for his 21st NBA season. So clearly, he cannot play the same role he used to for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat. Hence, Anthony Davis must prove that he can be the man for the team when it needs him the most. He needs to stay available and healthy. Everybody, TNT Analyst Charles Barkley recently mentioned that he wants Anthony Davis to display an MVP-level performance next season. And so does the Lakers Nation.
AD’s Value To The Lakers Is Immense
Everybody knows if AD stays healthy, he can be part of the top players in the league. Even though the eight-time All-Star transformed the Lakers into the best defense, he was equally useful in the team’s attack. He is one of the best two-way players in the league in terms of his defensive and offensive abilities. But the biggest concern is AD’s health. Can he play more than 65 games next season? It is an essential question because Anthony Davis has not been able to play more than 65 games in the last three years.
In the previous year, AD missed as many as twenty games on the trot due to a stress injury. Hence, the Lakers Nation would pray for AD’s health so that he could lead the side to their 18th title. Anthony Davis knows very well what it means to play for the iconic Lakers. It is a privilege because the team always demands excellence, and when it keeps winning, the players feel like immortals. But when the result goes the other way around, it just becomes twice as hard.
