After missing two games with a hip injury, Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis returned to the lineup on Saturday night against the New York Knicks.
Davis was clearly out of rhythm after missing some time, scoring just 12 points on 4-of-12 shooting. He found other ways to impact the game, however, crashing the glass for 18 rebounds to go along with five assists, one steal and four blocks.
With the game being close late, Davis came up big time and time again on the defensive end to help the Lakers come away with the victory. The Knicks had a stretch in the fourth quarter where they went scoreless for seven minutes. After the game, he spoke on the impact he was able to make defensively for his team, via Spectrum SportsNet:
“I’m not just a one-sided player. I can impact the game on both ends of the floor. And that’s what I tried to do. I only took 12 shots or something like that, 4-for-12, but still had an impact on the game, left my imprint on the game on the defensive end. So I’m not a guy who has to come out and score to impact our team winning. I can do it on both ends of the floor and just holding that team, they’ve been very hot, the hottest team in the league with nine straight. To come in here and get a dub, obviously they were undermanned, but for us it was a big win for us. Trying to just keep it going, the momentum that them guys had in Boston.”
Davis went on to elaborate on what his role defensively is for this team, specifically in a tough matchup like the Knicks when Jalen Brunson is playing at a high level:
“Just reading. Seeing who they got on the floor, the other three guys that’s not in the pick-and-roll and just talking to them and seeing if I should go help depending on who the offensive player is. Knowing their tendencies and talking to the guys. I try to make it very easy for our guys when they’re out there blitzing or defending, especially guards, just from the fact that they got to be somewhere comfortable to blitz or pressure, sending them a certain way based on whatever the coverage is knowing that they got help on the back side. So that brings out a confidence in them knowing they can go and do that knowing that I’m back there.”
Davis had one extremely impressive sequence in particular, getting back in transition and blocking both Josh Hart and Brunson on the same possession. He explained what he was seeing to make those plays:
“Putting my imprint on the game. Just protecting the rim. That’s what I do… It’s just a natural instinct that I have to see the ball at the rim and go get it… I’m just trying to make plays, like I said. Shot wasn’t there offensively so trying to leave my imprint on the game on the defensive end.”
Davis has proven to be one of the best defenders in the league, being one of the few players that can truly take over a game on that end of the court.
The important thing is that he stays healthy so he can continue making that type of impact though, which will be essential for the Lakers getting back into postseason contention.
Anthony Davis named All-Star for ninth time
The 2024 NBA All-Star rosters were recently announced and Davis made the cut for the ninth time in his career. He will be in Indianapolis joining LeBron James, who was named a starter for the 20th consecutive season.
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