“Probably the most skilled guy”- Nikola Jokic raves about Anthony Davis after monster battle in Game 1
Nikola Jokic won the first round of his playoff battle with Anthony Davis on Tuesday but lauded the LA Lakers big man as one of the most skilled players.
Courtesy of Jokic's exploits, the Denver Nuggets secured a 132-136 victory in the opening game of their Western Conference Finals series. Jokic remained as humble as ever as he took the time to praise Anthony Davis for his overall skillset.
"He's really, really talented," Jokic said. "He's a roll threat. He can play in the pocket. He can play ISO. He can play on the post. So, he's really, really talented.
"Probably the most skilled guy if you think about the size and what he can do with the ball. How good a mid-range shooter he is, or if he's attacking the glass. I think he's one of the most talented players in the league."
Davis was impressive in the LA Lakers loss, ending the game with 40 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks. Furthermore, the superstar big man shot 60.9% from the field and 100% from the free-throw line.
However, Jokic was on another level, as he almost singlehandedly out-rebounded the Lakers, grabbing 21 boards to the Lakers' 30. Unfortunately, the rest of the Lakers, except LeBron James, failed to match Davis' production level, which resulted in the uninspiring loss following a first-half malaise.
Magic Johnson urges Anthony Davis and Co.'s backcourt to step up
Following Anthony Davis and Co.'s loss in Game 1 of their Western Conference Finals against the Denver Nuggets, Magic Johnson shared his thoughts on Twitter.
The legendary point guard pinpointed D'Angelo Russell and Dennis Schroder in the Lakers' backcourt as the two underperformers, tweeting:
"Anthony Davis' 40 points are overlooked in this Lakers loss. The starting backcourt, Russell and Schroder, combined for only 14 points. If the Lakers are going to win Game 2, they both have to play better."
Anthony Davis’s 40 points are overlooked in this Lakers loss. The starting backcourt, Russell and Schroder, combined for only 14 points. If the Lakers are going to win Game 2, they both have to play better.
Between the two guards, their single-game plus/minus (which is often a floor statistic) was -31, meaning the Lakers were 31 points worse with the duo on the floor. However, it was Russell whose performance was worse, with the recently acquired guard going -26 in as many minutes of play.
What's more disappointing, though, is that both Russell and Schroder are viewed as offensive-minded guards who can create shots and attack across multiple levels. For the Lakers to be at their best, their guards need to create for themselves and others, generating some scoring gravity and stretching opposition defenses to create driving lanes.
With neither Lakers point guard rising to the occasion, it was Austin Reaves who picked up the slack. The sophomore shooting guard bagged 23 points, eight assists and two rebounds, shooting the rock at a 50% clip from the field and a 55.6% conversion rate from deep.
Nevertheless, when the Lakers and Nuggets face off for Game 2 of their Conference Finals, the Purple and Gold will need both Russell and Schroder to fare better. Game 2 takes place on Thursday at the Ball Arena in Denver, as the Nuggets own homecourt advantage in the series.