Paul Pierce praises Anthony Davis: “He’s the only one in the league that can match up with Greek Freak”
Paul Pierce reserved high praise for Anthony Davis, saying he is the only player who can match up with Giannis Antetokounmpo. Many consider Antetokounmpo to be the best player in the league, and rightly so. The former 2x MVP has been nearly unstoppable over the last two seasons.
No player has been labeled as the "Giannis-stopper" around the league. However, AD could change that if he continues to play at a high level for a long stretch. Pierce believes the same. Here's what the former Celtics star said during a recent episode of the "KG Certified" podcast:
“But this is the version of A.D. the Lakers need,” Pierce said. “This is what we’ve been talking about. He needs to take over, be the guy. A.D.’s the guy. If he’s in the MVP talks, then the Lakers got something.
"We all know he was capable skill-wise, capable of this. It’s just about the mentality of going out there, doing it every night. He’s the only one in the league that can match up with Greek Freak [Giannis Antetokounmpo], and we say Greek Freak is the best player in the league.”
Anthony Davis has been considered inferior to Giannis Antetokounmpo over the last two years. His injuries stopped him from being the dominant force he is known to be. During their past matchups, Antetokounmpo was inarguably the better player, but AD changed that notion this year.
Davis has stayed healthy for a decent stretch, which has helped him find his rhythm over the last month. He has averaged 32.4 points, 14.0 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game across his last 13 appearances. AD also outplayed Giannis when the Lakers visited the Bucks during their recent East Coast road trip.
Anthony Davis bagged a 44-point double-double, leading the Lakers to a 133-129 win. Antetokounmpo finished in that tie with 40 points and seven rebounds. That duel stormed Davis back into the best-player conversation, as there aren't many around the league who have outplayed Antetokounmpo in a long time.
Questions remain over Anthony Davis' ability to stay healthy and perform consistently
Anthony Davis' resurgence has been one of the major talking points this season. He has received his flowers, but that, too, has come with plenty of doubt. Fans and analysts are unsure whether AD can stay healthy and have this mindset throughout the season.
The last two years have made this a reasonable doubt. However, Davis displayed his dominance in spurts during that stretch. That isn't the case right now. Davis has been able to maintain this hot form on a nightly basis. He seems to have embraced and adapted to the hardships of playing the center position full-time.
Over the last two seasons, he has settled for too many jumpers, which has affected his scoring efficiency. Anthony Davis has addressed that and is doing most of the damage inside the paint. There aren't many players capable of stopping him in the restricted area due to his skill set.
The Lakers will hope he can continue to perform like this and stay healthy throughout the season. He has been the biggest difference-maker for the team. Their hopes of making the playoffs rely on him.