The Los Angeles Lakers received contributions through the entire rotation in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, but without a doubt the most dominant force was Anthony Davis.
In his first Finals game, Davis finished with 34 points, nine rebounds, five assists and three blocks as the Lakers dominated the Miami Heat 116-98 in a matchup that wasn’t as close as the score indicated.
Davis was everywhere as the Heat simply could not handle his size, agility and overall skill. The playoffs have proven that Davis is the ultimate mismatch and Game 1 was just the latest example.
LeBron James is the unquestioned leader of the Lakers and they will go as he does, but Davis’ talent is truly unbelievable and even has his teammates wondering who is the best player not just on the team, but in the league period.
“It’s easy for A.D. Like I’ve been saying, honestly if you ask me, we’ve got LeBron, but I think he’s the best player in the world,” Markieff Morris said. “He does it on both ends and does it consistently every night. He gives you what you ask for every night.”
That consistency has mattered for the Lakers in these playoffs as those times when LeBron hasn’t been quite at his best haven’t been as detrimental due to Davis. And as Morris pointed out, it is his work on both ends of the floor that truly makes him special.
Davis not only dominated the paint against the Heat, but also knocked down a pair of 3-pointers while being everywhere defensively. Davis’ blocks obviously point to what he brings in the paint, but his ability to contain perimeter players as well gives the Lakers an advantage that no other team possesses.
You could make the argument for either Davis or LeBron as the best player in the world today, but the fact that the Lakers have both on their roster just shows why they are so close to bringing another championship to Los Angeles.
And while Morris touted Davis as the best player, he later said of James, “He was focused. He has this will to win that’s like no other. We’re just so close and we want it so bad. I know he wants it bad, so he’s coming out here and competing at the highest level possible.
“He’s the best player in the world. There’s no other way to look at it.”
Anthony Davis Embraces Rajon Rondo Pushing Him To Do Impossible
There are times when Davis just does things that seem impossible for another player to do on the court. Sometimes that may surprise himself, but one teammate who knows he’s capable of anything is veteran point guard Rajon Rondo.
Rondo and Davis have chemistry from their time together in New Orleans and Rondo is constantly pushing the Lakers star. “Rondo is always in my ear about being the best defensive player on the floor, best offensive player on the floor, even when it doesn’t seem possible,” Davis said.
“He might tell me I need to go block a shot or close out to a guy, and if they swing it across the floor, I need to be there, too. I say, ‘That’s impossible.’ He’s like, ‘I don’t care, at the end of the day, you should be able to do it.’ He always put pressure on me to do the impossible things. It’s not easy but if you want to win, you’ve got to do those type of things.”
Many will remember Rondo encouraging Davis in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals to knock down the game-winner then and that veteran voice in Davis’ head could ultimately push him to a championship and even a Finals MVP.
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