Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis went into the 2023-24 season with lofty expectations after the dominant defensive performance he had last postseason.
Since joining the Lakers 2019, it has been evident that LeBron James James wants Davis to lead the charge for the team. Injuries have played a factor throughout his career, with Davis only playing 36 and 40 games during the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, respectively.
However, this has been the healthiest start of a season for Davis as he’s played in 32 of the Lakers 34 games so far. In those contests, he has been dominant and averaged 25 points, 12.3 rebounds, 2.6 blocks and 1.2 steals. Davis’ defensive plays, specifically his blocks this year, have made for some nice highlights, putting him at No. 11 in the NBA’s 2023 social views rankings:
11. Anthony Davis – 456 million views
Davis remains the ceiling-setter for L.A., a fact reestablished by his 41-point, 20-rebound performance in the In-Season Tournament title game. His 30-point, 23-rebound gem in Game 1 against Golden State set the tone for that Western Conference semifinal series.
So far this season, it seems clear that Davis is ready to solidify himself as the No. 1 option whenever James retires or leaves L.A. It has been a very strong past couple of games for the big man, who has been trying to keep the Lakers above water during their recent struggles.
The rim protection and the ability to play passing lanes is otherworldly, especially as a center, and that is vital when constructing a championship-level defense. This may be the best version of Davis that has been seen. At minimum it is on par his play during the Lakers’ most-recent championship season.
The In-Season Tournament title game was a prime example of Davis taking his game up a notch in high-stakes situations, and that is going to be key if L.A. wants to win their 18th championship this year.
Davis was not the only member of the Lakers to crack the top 15 in social views in 2023 as James unsurprisingly came in at No. 1 while Austin Reaves ranked 13th.
Anthony Davis pinpoints ‘biggest downfall’ for Lakers
While Davis has been playing at a high level as of late, the team itself has struggled to pick up wins to close out 2023. The Lakers were on the road a lot and that can certainly take a toll, but the energy and effort were not consistent from game to game.
After losing on New Year’s Eve to the New Orleans Pelicans, L.A. is left searching for answers on how to turn this thing around. Davis expressed some frustration after the loss, pinpointing injuries as the team’s ‘biggest downfall’ so far this year.
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