How Anthony Davis' injury troubles impacted the LA Lakers in 2021
Anthony Davis' performance in the 2020 Orlando Bubble was nothing short of MVP caliber. The eight-time NBA All-Star was a great addition to the LA Lakers, making them the number one seed in the Western Conference. Anthony Davis, in only his first year with the Lakers, captured the coveted 2020 NBA title.
Anthony Davis' impact on the LA Lakers roster
In the 28-games that Davis played in the 2020 Orlando Bubble, he averaged 26.2 PPG, 9.4 RPG, and 3.6 assists per game. Anthony Davis was a magnificent 53.8% from the field and averaged 1.4 blocks per game.
One of his iconic moments during the Bubble was his game winning buzzer-beater in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals against the Denver Nuggets. This was followed by a spectacular performance in the NBA finals, during which he shot a magnificent 57.1% from the field.
2020-21 NBA regular season
In the 2020 off-season, the LA Lakers made quite a few changes to their roster. This included the addition of Dennis Schroder as their point guard, followed by the recruitment of former sixth man of the year Montrezl Harrell and 2019 NBA champion Marc Gasol. The 2020-21 season kicked off on Christmas eve owing to the chaos that the pandemic COVID19 had caused to the NBA calendar. The LA Lakers clearly looked like the defending champions as the season began.
However, Anthony Davis seemed to struggle with injuries only a few games into the season. This began in December with a left calf contusion, followed by a jammed toe and right quad in the following months.
The injuries clearly took a toll on him. This was reflected in his performances as well, the fact that he was not the same Anthony Davis we saw in the 2020 Orlando Bubble.
During these rough times as well, Davis' presence somehow managed to keep the Lakers among the top three seeds at the time. The real downside though came in February, with the All-Star weekend around the corner. In a game against the Denver Nuggets, Anthony Davis re-aggravated his Achilles which led to his exit from the game with an uncertain future.
2020-21 season average (36 games played)
21.8 PPG, 7.9 RPG, and 3.1 APG
Anthony Davis returned to the NBA hardwood in April after missing 30-games which was the longest absence of his career. Davis definitely looked rusty in his first few games, but he began to look better as the days went by. The LA Lakers were 19-17 in the 36-games they played without Anthony Davis.This brought some sought relief for Lakers fans, who saw their other superstar and four-time NBA champion LeBron James go down with a high ankle sprain in March.
In the absence of their superstar duo, the Lakers would find themselves in deep waters. They slipped from their position amongst the top six in the west and found themselves in danger of a play-in tournament.
2021 NBA Playoffs
5-game average against the Phoenix Suns
17.4 PPG, 6.6 RPG, and 2.6 APG
The LA Lakers managed to get past the Golden State Warriors in a play-in tournament that earned him a playoff spot as the seventh seed. The Lakers would then face second seed Phoenix Suns in the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs. In his first game against the Suns, Anthony Davis put up a dismal performance which included 13 points and two assists, as he shot a disappointing 31.3% from the field, which led to the Lakers losing Game 1.
Nonetheless, in the next two consecutive games, the 2017 NBA All-Star MVP put up a 30-point double-double that resulted in the Lakers winning both games and taking a 2-1 lead in the series.
The streak was short-lived as Anthony Davis suffered a groin injury in Game 4 that resulted in him exiting the match in the middle and missing Game 5. Davis' absence saw the Phoenix Suns win both Game 4 and 5.
The LA Lakers were on the brink of elimination when Anthony Davis decided to return in Game 6 but couldn't sustain more than five minutes as his groin continued to give him trouble.
What happened next was the elimination of the defending champions in the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs. The supporting cast of the Lakers found themselves in a vulnerable spot without Anthony Davis and could not meet expectations.
Though LeBron James did his best, his 36-year old's shoulders were not enough to carry the Lakers into the next round.