"Shown that through 4 games": LeBron James puts Anthony Davis on par with Nikola Jokic and other elite bigs
LeBron James had high praise for Anthony Davis after the big's dominant outing forced Game 5 vs the Denver Nuggets. The defending champions were favorites to sweep the LA Lakers in Game 4 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs at the Crypto.com Arena on Saturday. However, Davis' whopper of a night studded with 25 points and 23 rebounds kept LA alive in the competition as they beat the Nuggets 119-108. It was also their first win after 11 consecutive losses against Denver.
James kept it real with the praise for Davis.
"AD doesn't have to prove anything to anybody. He's one of the best bigs in the world and he's shown that through four games."
On the game front, Davis was ably assisted by James' 30 points, five rebounds, and four assists. The backcourt of D'Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves stepped up as well with 21 points each.
Davis has been a force in all of the four games in the playoffs against the Nuggets. In the four games so far, the former NBA champion averages 30.5 points, 15.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.0 steals, and 1.5 blocks. The center has been a force for LA in the playoffs and much of their hopes hinge on Anthony Davis if they intend to bounce back from the 3-1 deficit and make it past the first round.
Anthony Davis had garnered flak for his comments after the Game 2 loss vs Nuggets
After the Lakers lost Game 2 in the final seconds, Anthony Davis minced no words after the defeat. He called out head coach Darvin Ham for the lack of decision-making in key stretches of the game.
"We have stretches where we just don't know what we're doing on both ends of the floor."
Throughout the season, Ham has faced harsh criticism for his failures to adjust and ring in the changes in crucial moments. The Lakers' defense has been hampered by the loss of Jarred Vanderbilt and the onus rests squarely on Anthony Davis to make inroads with his two-way play. The Lakers role players have been average as well with James and the big doing the work on both ends of the floor.
For now, Davis and the Lakers have managed to stave off a sweep. Both sides will meet at the Ball Arena on Apr. 29 at 10 pm ET. The Nuggets will take on LA in their own backyard where they have been dominant this season.