Alright ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the official screening of your Los Angeles Lakers. Tonight, we have the team here with us to recap how the season is progressing, while being open to being critiqued with honest assessments. Everyone is here except…okay, he was here two nights ago; you can’t miss him with his afro flowing like a lion’s mane. Anybody seen number three? Going once, twice and I guess we’ll go ahead and start without Anthony Davis.
This has been the same story of Anthony Davis since 2021; shows up to dominate… Then drift away in the night like a distant star in the skies. One night he can give you 35 points with 12 rebounds; four blocks and remind everyone he’s one of the best big men in the game. Then… We get lackluster performances of 9 points 6 rebounds and foul trouble. AD has been a tale of two players: Anthony Davis aka “The Brow” or as I’ve referred to him “Alfred Davis the Butler.” You don’t know which AD will show up on any given night.
As Laker fans sit and watch this redundant movie script get re-written every two days or so, we know when an injury will happen. Rather it’s an ankle, hip, shoulder, any part of his athletic fragile body is a freeway for some type of collision. When he goes down, fans just lower their heads and say: “nothing to see here, keep the game going.” In some cases, it's the wrong place and time with AD. Laker fans get frustrated with his lack of taking basketball to another level every night. In year 12, it’s the prime of his career and can’t be reliable to help anchor the present; let alone the future beyond 2025.
Resigning AD this summer for three more years was supposed to bring closure to uncertainty once LeBron James decides to keep playing or retire. The torch is SUPPOSED to be passed to AD; but it feels as if he’s not ready to hold the Lakers’ standard in being great. It’s a lot of expectations for wearing the purple and gold. No mediocrity is tolerated and it’s about winning championships. One is a start; but winning multiple titles enshrines you in Laker galore upon the end of your career. You get a place in the rafters with other Laker greats.
If AD is the face of Los Angeles, there’s much to debate as far as if he’s earned it. With LeBron James STILL playing elite basketball in his twenty-first season and carrying the Lakers; this raises a lot of eyebrows as to if AD can lead this team post LeBron. The best player is still averaging a triple double. Whereas AD is double-double on dominant nights…or as NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley says: “triple single.” To be in his prime and not fully using his game to help the Lakers stay in games, he mopes around and checks out mentally. Once he makes up his mind to pull a “no show,” it trickles down to the entire team.
This alone tells LeBron his mentee isn’t paying attention to the mentor. He must play extended minutes and pick up the slack for a “top 75” player who should dominate every time he steps on the hardwood. AD is categorized as Jokic, Giannis, Embiid as the premiere big men in the NBA. He wanted to compete for championships upon arriving in 2019-20. He accomplished that feat while being the second best player on Los Angeles’ title run in the Orlando bubble.
For AD to handle and understand the expectations of being a Laker, there’s zero room for error. He must bring it every… single… night…He’s too supreme of a big man to not be able to dominate against less talented teams. When he matches up with the players at his position, you can tell from the jump if AD is focused. Once he over thinks himself and can’t overcome this mental hurdle, it’s a wrap. This is obvious in knowing the script every two nights.
If you must be a defensive enforcer, the offense will flow better for AD; along with the Lakers starting five. It’s simpler for guys to feed off AD’s energy levels. Playing alongside another big in the lineup is beneficial. He can roam around and block shots and rebound. That’s the AD fans need to see and expect. There’s plenty of time to film this season; if the second best player in AD is active on both sides of the court, he’s unstoppable. “The Brow” with the afro is running full stride with no hesitation. “The Butler” shows up and watches everyone else feast on the meal. Anthony Davis, don’t be afraid of “lights, camera and action.”
