Anthony Davis Impresses as Lakers Try To Get Season Back on Track Without LeBron James



Though things are looking far from perfect at the Los Angeles Lakers, with the Crypto.com Arena team struggling for form, they can at least secure some semblance of happiness from the fact that Anthony Davis is starting to get back somewhere near his best.

With the Lakers down to 2-10 and without injured star LeBron James, many would have worried about what might happen next as Dervin Ham’s side hosted the Brooklyn Nets and the Detroit Pistons in back-to-back games. Thankfully Davis was on hand to deliver the goods, scoring 75 points over the course of two wins that have helped to salvage some semblance of pride.

Those two victories may not be enough for you to consider placing a wager on the Lakers to make it to the post-season, which may well be considered one of the best NBA bets today in terms of the payout you’d secure, but they are a step in the right direction. Things have been going downhill with the Lakers for the best part of 18 months, and one wonders how the 2022-23 season will play out.

Davis’s return to form is something that Ham wants to build from and hopes to do just that when LeBron James gets back on the court;

“LeBron knows that we need Anthony to play like that,” 

“We [all] know we have to get A.D. going. That gives us our best chance to be successful.” Ham added.

29-year-old Davis, an eight-time NBA All-Star pick, is into his third season at the Lakers, and though he was very productive in their 2019-20 title-winning season, he’s had issues with form and fitness ever since.

While Davis has struggled, James has consistently delivered even if his team-mates have not, and it’s clearly the case that if both players are fit and producing the kind of basketball they both can, then this would prove a real catalyst to where the Lakers could go.

Davis knows that both he and LeBron are crucial to the Lakers;

“Obviously, when he’s out, or if I’m out, we take it upon ourselves to kind of, as much as we can, fill that void,” 

“We haven’t talked about it, but he did say that I’m playing like my old self, so I’m trying to get back into that rhythm,” Davis told ESPN.

Two successive wins are a good start, and Davis is aware of the need not to get carried away;

“I think everybody’s confidence is very high while not getting too high,” 

“Going into Phoenix to start the trip will be a good test for us. But, like I said, I think the guys’ confidence is high on both ends of the ball going into that game. Which, we want to start the road trip off with a W. Then, San Antonio back-to-back. So, it feels good to get three in a row. Now we just got to carry it over into the road and put some more wins together.” Davis added.

Needless to say, the Lakers faltered at the Footprint Center and lost 105-115 to end their three-game winning streak, but there isn’t time to mull that over and retreat, two games against the San Antonio Spurs are on the horizon, and they have a similarly poor record and if Davis can inspire Ham’s team to victories at the AT&T Centre then perhaps they can get their season back on track. 

Nakoa Davis