The NBA announced the 2022-23 All-Defensive teams on Tuesday morning, and Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis did not make the cut for either First or Second Team.
Davis did receive nine Second Team votes at the forward position despite playing the entire 2022-23 season for the Lakers at center.
Here is how the voting shook out, with the First Team consisting of Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso, Milwaukee Bucks guard Jrue Holiday, Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley, Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. and Bucks center Brook Lopez while Second Team consisted of Grizzlies guard Dillon Brooks, Boston Celtics guard Derrick White, Toronto Raptors forward O.G. Anunoby, Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green and Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo:
Full voting results: https://t.co/RF5QCGQ62x pic.twitter.com/Cy06fZEJq9
— Howard Beck (@HowardBeck) May 9, 2023
It’s important to note that this voting took place before the start of the postseason, as no one who has watched the Lakers in the playoffs can say with a straight face that Davis is not one of the 10 best defenders in the league.
Davis obviously missed a bunch of games in the regular season, which was held against him in the voting. Even though Davis only played in 56 games though, he still played more regular-season minutes than some guys who made the All-Defensive teams such as Jackson and Caruso. That’s not to say that those guys weren’t deserving of making the cut because they were, as was Davis.
In addition to averaging 12.5 rebounds this season, Davis also averaged 2.0 blocks and 1.1 steals, anchoring a Lakers defense that was among the best in the league after the trade deadline.
Regular season awards are not what’s important for Davis and the Lakers right now though as they have bigger goals in mind after taking a 3-1 series lead on the defending Golden State Warriors in the second round of the postseason. Davis has unquestionably been the best defensive player in the playoffs, and maybe he will finally get some respect across the league if he helps lead the Lakers to a second championship since joining the organization in 2019.
James believes Davis’ No. 3 jersey will eventually be retired
What Davis has accomplished in his short time as a Laker cannot be rivaled by many, especially if he wins a second title this season.
It’s still way too early to talk about Davis’ legacy, but his teammate LeBron James recently stated that he believes the No. 3 jersey will be in the rafters at Crypto.com Arena one day and it’s hard to argue that point.
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