Anthony Davis joins LA Lakers legends Shaquille O'Neal and Elgin Baylor with unique record: All you need to know
Over the past two years, Anthony Davis has dealt with his fair share of criticism. However, his recent run suggests that it might not be time to give up on him just yet.
To put it simply, it's been a rough start to the year for the LA Lakers (5-10). As of now, they sit in 13th place in the Western Conference. On top of that, LeBron James has been sidelined due to injury.
The Lakers desperately needed Anthony Davis to step up, and he has delivered in a big way. His play has been so great as of late that it's landed him next to a pair of all-time greats.
In each of his last three games, AD has tallied at least 30 points and 15 rebounds. The only other players in franchise history to do the same are Shaquille O'Neal and Elgin Baylor. His biggest performance came in a 116-103 win over the Brooklyn Nets, when he went for 37 points and 18 rebounds, on Nov. 13.
AD is just the 3rd player in Lakers history with 30 Pts and 15 Reb in three-straight games, joining Shaq and Elgin Baylor 💪 https://t.co/L3n5FkT3H4
Anthony Davis is starting to turn a corner for the LA Lakers
Outside of this three-game sample, Anthony Davis has been on his best run in years for the LA Lakers. In the six games since LeBron James has been out, he is averaging 29.8 points on 58.6% shooting while tallying at least one steal and block per game.
It goes without saying how crucial it is for AD to keep this level of play up. Everyone knows how lackluster the Lakers' supporting cast is. As the lone star in the lineup, everything rests on his shoulders. So far, he's been able to elevate his game and answer the call.
Over the past two years, many have waited for Anthony Davis to step up and make the Lakers "his" team. At 29 years old, he is still in the prime of his career. He should still not be taking a back seat to LeBron, who is in his 20th season.
The major question will be whether AD can keep this up once LeBron is back in the lineup. For the Lakers to have any shot at being competitive, this is their only hope.
Seeing this level of production from the All-Star big man might also push the Lakers to get a trade done. We've seen what the Lakers' duo can do with a proper supporting cast around them.
All in all, it's a major positive to see AD looking like himself again after battling an array of injuries over the last two seasons.