Former Rockets star makes opinion clear on Anthony Davis' accountability vs LeBron James' - "Not gonna be the 40-year-old man's fault"
Former Houston Rockets star Chandler Parsons believes that the LA Lakers' success now hinges more on Anthony Davis than LeBron James. He said more is expected from "AD" as the team's leader and best player.
In an episode of FanDuel's NBA show "Run It Back" where analysts discussed the potential for Davis to have a career year in 2024-25, Parsons noted that the big man now takes on a larger share of responsibility for the Lakers' losses — not LeBron James.
According to Parsons, James' achievements at this stage are just "extra." He said:
"When they [the Lakers] lose, it's not gonna be the 40-year-old man's fault. It's gonna be the guy who they keep saying is his team, he is the best player. It's Anthony Davis disappeared. Anthony Davis was inefficient tonight. Anthony Davis got in foul trouble."
"LeBron James everything that he does at this point of his career is almost just extra and praiseworthy... There is no pressure on him. The pressure always is on the guy they keep saying it's his team. They are going to play through him. So when they lose, it's on Anthony Davis, not LeBron James."
Check out what he had to say below:
So far, Davis has been delivering for the Lakers (4-4), leading the team in a number of key statistics, including points (32.6), rebounds (11.6) steals (1.6) and blocks (1.7).
He, however, sat out their road game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday because of an ankle injury. The Lakers lost by 17, 131-114.
LeBron James says it is important for Anthony Davis to be the focal point of their attack
LeBron James said Anthony Davis had been thrust into a more significant role in the LA Lakers and that it was important for him to be the focal point of their offense moving forward.
"The King" underscored this as the Lakers began their 2024-25 NBA campaign, telling reporters that a lot of their success will depend on utilizing his fellow All-Star effectively.
James said (via ESPN):
"It's very important that he's (Davis) the main focal point for us every single night. We know what he's going to do defensively, but offensively we have to find him in multiple places on the floor throughout the whole game."
Davis is now in his sixth year with the Lakers. He is coming off a season where he averaged 24.7 points, 12.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.3 blocks and 1.2 steals. They, however, were eliminated in the opening round of the playoffs by the Denver Nuggets.
In the summer, Davis teamed up with James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant to win the gold medal for Team USA in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.