Los Angeles Lakers coach, Darvin Ham, has chalked up a new strategy to uplift Anthony Davis’ offensive play in the middle.
Anthony Davis, who the LA Lakers acquired in a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans in 2019, remains widely regarded as one of the best players in the league currently. He is a dominant force on both ends of the court, with an elite defensive ability. Despite his talent, Davis has massively struggled this season due to incessant injuries.
The LA Lakers, on the other hand, are in a tough spot this season. They are the 10th seed in the West with a record of 36-37. Moreover, with just a handful number of games in hand to make the playoff push, the team lost its key scorer, LeBron James, to a foot injury. Hence, in his absence, Anthony Davis’ responsibilities multiples significantly. The unit cannot afford to see Davis struggling with his offense.
Darvin Ham Vows To End Anthony Davis’ Poor Offensive Run
Despite a comprehensive win over the Orlando Magic on Monday, Anthony Davis’ struggle was evident. The forward put mere 15 points in total. Fortunately for the Lakers, Austin Reaves posted his career-best figures to help the team with a cruising victory. However, Davis’ struggle was a bad omen as he is the leader of the team in the absence of LeBron James. One of the issues identified is the lack of touches that Davis is receiving.
In response, Lakers head coach Darvin Ham has announced that the team will be moving Davis around the court more in order to get him more involved in the offense. This could involve playing him at different positions or using different offensive sets to create opportunities for him. Ham further added that AD needs to get involved more in offense in the middle of the court while running. Moreover, the team will try to force-feed the ball to Davis in order to increase his touch. However, the coach did admit that the plan might not work if AD losses the ball’s possession in the run. If so happens, the coaching staff will devise an alternate plan.
Will Davis Play Crucial Back To Back Games In April?
Lakers star center forward Anthony Davis met with intense criticism last week when he missed out on a crucial game against the Houston Rockets. AD, who dealt with a stressful foot injury in December, skipped the game despite being pain-free to avoid any further damage to his foot. However, the move did not go down well with the fans, who left disappointed as it cost the Lakers a crucial game against a lousy Rockets.
Meanwhile, another set of back-to-back games is coming up in April, which will be highly crucial for the Lakers in their playoff run. Hence, they need Anthony Davis to feature in both games. When asked if AD would be available for both matchups, coach Ham refused any confirmation and said that they have a recovery plan with respect and AD, and the team intends to stick to it. Hence, Davis’ participation in the back-to-back games looks uncertain as of now.
