Anthony Davis has been leading the LA Lakers since the last season. Albeit, he joined the franchise back in 2019. Along with LeBron James, he helped the Purple and Gold Army win their 17th title in 2020. But back then, LBJ was leading the side. It has been a while since the Lakers lifted the trophy.
But if somebody can lead the side to their 18th title, then that’s the eight-time All-Star. Moreover, time and again, the Lakers prove that they are overdependent on Anthony Davis. That’s why a former Boston Celtics legend criticized the Lakers for recently. Lately, Paul Pierce, in an interview as per Showtime Basketball, mentioned the Lakers are only as good as AD.
Why Paul Pierce Thinks, “The Lakers Are Only As Good As Anthony Davis”?
The former Celtics star was quite blunt about his assessment of the dynamic between the team and the eight-time All-Star. Paul Pierce believes Anthony Davis is holding the Lakers back with his inconsistent play. Meanwhile, Pierce said the Lakers have everything they need to achieve their goal. What Paul Pierce is trying to say is that the LA side needs AD to be in the MVP talks this season if they want to be something. As per Paul Pierce, the Lakers need Davis to maintain an average of 28 and 15 per game consistently. Only then can the 17-time champions be a contender.
If AD is not consistent, then the Lakers will need more excuses. It’s better if they ask AD to give more effort to the team than giving lame excuses. Albeit it is still very early in the season, Anthony Davis has not looked at his best touch yet. But still, at certain games, he’s giving out great numbers. Lately, this season, the new face of the LA side is averaging 22 points, 11.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, along with 3.3 blocks and 0.9 steals per game. It is not the AD the Lakers were looking for. Anyway, they still have a lot of faith in the eight-time All-Star.
How AD Became The New Face Of The LA Franchise?
Anyway, last season, the leading all-time scorer sustained a severe tendon injury in his right foot. He had to stay out of the game at a very crucial stage in the season. In the absence of LeBron James, the Lakers could have lost all hopes to make the postseason again. But Anthony Davis took the responsibility to show his team the way to the postseason. Gradually, the Lakers started building a few winning streaks that helped. Later, LBJ returned with a few regular season games remaining. In the end, the James-Davis duo helped the Lakers reach the conference finals for the first time since 2020.
Moreover, Anthony Davis proved that he could lead the team’s offense as well as defense. Adding to that, it is worth mentioning that Anthony Davis had been the spearhead of the Laker’s attack but the anchor of their defense. That’s how valuable he has been for the LA side. Clearly, the front office realized it this offseason and extended AD’s contract to another three years. Darvin Ham, Rob Pelinka, and Jeanie Buss want AD to lead the franchise to yet another title win.
