Is James really old? Healthy Anthony Davis is the true savior of the Lakers

This article was compiled from: ESPN

Written by Dave McMenamin

原标题：After overcoming his latest storm, Anthony Davis is ready to get to work

The Lakers beat the Bulls 121-110 on the road and successfully took revenge. Anthony Davis swept away the slump on the court this game, full of firepower, and cut 38 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks in the game!

As James gets older and comes with more and more injuries, he is no longer the core presence of the Lakers. The key to how far the Lakers can go in the playoffs depends on the performance of thick eyebrows. Just like Mr. Su Qun said: The Lakers' lifesaver is not James. A healthy and leadership thick eyebrow is the true savior of the Lakers!

1. What can stop this genius is always injury

Anthony Davis sat in the corner of his bedroom cloakroom, overwhelmed.

A few days ago, another injury threatened to ruin another season for him, and the Los Angeles Lakers big man was on the verge of collapse.

"I was like, like shaking," Davis told ESPN last week, shaking his hand to illustrate his state on that day in December, "I was just angry and sad at the same time... And frustration. ”

On Dec. 16, Davis felt a sharp pain as he scored a regular inside move against Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, indicating a complex problem with his right foot: a bone spur broke from the navicular bone, and the navicular bone was also stressed. Doctors speculated that this vital weight-bearing bone may have been worn out by the time he was a student at the University of Kentucky, but bone contusions exacerbated the injury.

Davis rated the level of pain on an 8 or 9 out of 10. For someone like Davis who has experienced so much misfortune physically, there is some experience behind his assessment of injuries.

Medics said the injury could keep him out for 8 to 10 weeks.

Therefore, Davis had nowhere to hide, the pain in his feet and the pain caused by this injury, and he locked himself in the cloakroom of his home.

Soon after, his wife, Maren, and daughter Nala, 6, found Davis on the ground.

"She whispered to my wife, 'Mom, what's wrong with Dad?'" Davis recalled.

"She wanted to come and hug me, but she didn't dare. So my wife said, 'It's okay. ’

"I saw her and I was thinking, 'Don't come and touch me.' But she came over, gave me a quick hug, and left, and she sat down and said, 'Mom, I'll be right back.' I have an idea. ’”

Nala hurried away, and Davis' seriousness had begun to fade as he switched back to father mode. However, he wanted to see what Nala would do when she returned, so he stayed on the floor and covered his face with his hands.

"At this point, I'm trying to act," Davis said, smiling in the face of the comical scene.

A few minutes later, Nala returned and placed a piece of paper on the pile of clothes next to him.

"Dad, everything will be fine," Nala said.

2. Injuries almost ruined another season for him

The 2012 pick has built his reputation as a two-way talent, but Davis' injury risk has also accompanied him throughout his career. Over the past two seasons, Davis has spent as much time rehabilitating as he has played — missing 78 of his 154 games. What made this setback especially frustrating was that after strengthening his body during the offseason, he was confident enough to enter training camp and announced his goal of playing in the full 82 regular-season games.

Now, after failing to make the playoffs last season and starting the season with 2-10, Davis will miss more than 30 games. For him, for the team, for his partnership with LeBron James, the 38-year-old all-time greatest player, with his injury haunting, things are heading for a wasted year.

Davis' family let him go, and anger welled up inside him again — until he grabbed the piece of paper that Nala had given him.

"There's a rainbow," Davis said with wide eyes.

"She just drew a rainbow because she liked rainbows, or maybe the girl was really smart enough..." Davis paused, a smile on his face. At the end of every storm there will be a rainbow. ”

3. After winning the championship, Davis did not usher in his own era

While Davis' time in Los Angeles had a fairytale beginning, ending his first season with a championship in the 2020 NBA bubble season, there have been as many cloudy days as sunny days since.

The Lakers' road to title defense came to an abrupt end — Davis dropped to the No. 7 seed after missing 36 of 72 regular-season games — and the Lakers lost to the Phoenix Suns with a 2-1 lead in the first round. Davis suffered a groin injury that caused him to leave Game 4, miss Game 5 and play just 5 minutes in Game 6.

Last season, the Lakers failed to make the playoffs, and Davis missed 36 of the 46 games from Dec. 19 to April 1 due to a knee injury and an ankle sprain, and the Lakers ended the season with 33-49.

His body betrayed him, not only dimming Davis' star profile — he hasn't been named an All-Star for the past two seasons after eight straight years — but also shelving succession plans for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Against the Miami Heat, James won the 2020 Finals MVP by averaging 29.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and 8.5 assists per game, while Davis maintained his level with 25 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.0 blocks.

4. James' injury accelerated his growth

Recent injuries have taken a toll on James, and Davis hasn't fully proven himself as the Los Angeles Lakers' next top star, given his own attendance.

This season, with James out of action since Feb. 26 due to a right foot injury, Davis is leading the Lakers to a playoff spot.

"Obviously, I have a lot of responsibility," Davis said. "People have high expectations of my performance and leadership. Not just for myself, but for my team, my coach and the whole team. ”

Davis never thought to take the torch with James pulling aside, but he took responsibility.

 "I think any time you play anywhere with another star and that person can't play, you try to isolate yourself and not put too much pressure on yourself. Everyone expects you to fill those vacancies, or at least half of them, while the team fills the other half. "So for me, knowing he's going to take a long break, everybody looked at me and said, 'Okay, AD, we need you to lead us until we have a full lineup.'" ’”

"Either way, my relationship with LeBron is one of the best partners or teammates I consider to be in the NBA," Davis said. "But they don't see that. They can't see what we're doing off the field or the time we spend hanging out together. All they see is what is on the field. ”

The relationship allowed James to teach Davis how to be a leader. Lakers point guard Dennis Schroder saw Davis differently after playing for the Lakers for the second time.

"He's much better than the first time I was here," Schroeder told ESPN, "making more noise." ...... I mean, I didn't know him when I first came. But this year he did well. I think he also learned from LeBron. Communicate with teammates, especially on the defensive end. He has grown a lot from his first year to this year. ”

"He (LeBron) obviously taught me a lot about the game and leadership," Davis said, "and I think I'm more effective when he's not playing because I have to do it when he's not there." ...... [Usually] I just leave the dressing room and play and let him speak. But when he's away, we need someone to make their voices heard, and that's when, 'OK, that's the time for me to speak up too.'" ’”

5. Davis, who came back early, helped the Lakers stabilize the situation

Davis broke the doctors' prediction and he returned on Jan. 25, missing just 20 games.

James' guidance may also have had an impact.

"The way he took care of his body: constant massage, constant lifting, healing... I learned all of that and incorporated it into my daily routine in order to play as much as I could," Davis said.

He made the most of his recent absence, communicating with the coaching staff and immersing himself in game footage — a habit he didn't get used to when he first arrived in Los Angeles. "Although I don't like injuries, I use it as a period to improve my psychology and study the game more." "Then, when I get back on the basketball court, I'll be ready to go," Davis said. ”

Not only is Davis back, he's back to his high level of performance. In 25 games before the injury, he averaged 27.4 points and 12.1 rebounds. The Lakers are three games below their winning percentage. In the 22 games since his return, he has averaged 24.1 points and 12.8 rebounds per game, and the Lakers have won four more games than 50%.

In Wednesday's game against the Suns, Davis chipped in 20 points, five rebounds and three assists after halftime to help the Lakers seal the victory and remain in 10th place in the Western Division.

"He's a monster," Lakers guard Austin Reeves told ESPN, "and I don't think he gets the reputation he deserves as a basketball player." I think people just see the game lose and blame him for it. Obviously, attendance is important, but as a basketball player, I don't think there are many people of his height and skill level. ”

Now the Lakers are tasked with reaching the playoffs in the remaining six games.

6. Davis thinks the team's defense is back

"I think we've built the team we want to be," Davis said. "Standing on our defense, back to fighting, despite still not having LeBron. ......”

"We quickly came together and were able to make some voices heard and get people to notice us again. I just try to have a mindset in every game that I have to win and dominate everything and everything else will work out. ”

In a way, the Lakers' final regular-season game and any playoffs will be an extended audition to convince team management to keep the same core lineup next season.

With the exception of Davis and James, nearly all of the Lakers' key players will need the team to decide on their contracts this summer, including recently acquired D'Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jared Vanderbilt, Hachimura and Mohammed Bamba.

7. Davis is optimistic that the team is back in contention

"If we really had a full summer, a full training camp, a full season, who knows where we'd be at," Davis said. “... As a team right now, we feel like this year we can not only make a noise, but honestly, I feel like we have a chance of winning against any team. If you let any team play against us, I think we have a good chance of winning. ... If they can solve these problems and bring this team together, then next year and for years to come, no one knows what kind of team we will become, what kind of threat we will become. ”

He has seen similarities between this year's squad and the 2020 champion team's lineup.

 "Of course, we have fewer big men, but I think, with Russell, Vanderbilt and Beasley, we get that trait again." Davis said, "Beasley played the role of KCP (Kentavius Caldwell Pope). Russell, like Rondo, has the magic of holding the ball and spotting teammates. ... Vanderbilt plays the role of Alex Caruso. Even Hachimura can play the role of Kyle Kuzma. So, obviously that team is special. ... But I think this team has the potential to be that team. ”

8. Davis wants to bring the Lakers an 18th title

Last offseason, while watching a documentary on Netflix, Davis heard a line that stuck to him: "The giant looks in the mirror, but sees nothing."

Davis, who is 6 feet 10 inches tall and earns more than $200 million in his career, is considered a true giant but does not consider himself better or different than others.

 "When I analyze it from my own perspective, it's like no matter how old you get, you should be able to see yourself in the mirror." Davis said, "So I shouldn't have my head too big, but I should look in the mirror first and check myself." Right?"

He liked the phrase so much that he tattooed it on his left thigh, in font size about 150.

He also has tattoos all over his back, from the basket pattern in his backyard, to the precocious image he wore sports goggles in high school, to the NCAA championship trophy he won during his time at the University of Kentucky, to the 2012 NBA Draft Champion, to the Larry O'Brien trophy he won with the Lakers.

"And then it says in the middle, 'Start with a dream,'" Davis said.

He wanted to add tattoos to his back by continuing his dream with the Lakers. He has two years left on his contract — the second season being a player option — in line with James' contract.

"To be part of the legacy of winning championships, you want to win more," Davis said. "We have 17 NBA championships tied with the Boston Celtics, and it's like, I want to be part of 18 championship trophies and make this dynasty team the first in history."

9. Davis wants to be a legend in the glory of the Lakers

Seeing Pau Gasol's number 16 shirt raised over the arena on the pitch last month got Davis thinking about hanging his number 3 shirt there someday.

"I love living in Los Angeles, and so does my family. I love playing for the Lakers," Davis said, "and when the time comes, I'm honestly not sure where the team wants to go or what kind of conversation we're going to have." But when the time comes, we sit down, have those conversations, and go from there. ”

Whatever his choices, Davis prioritizes the comfort of his family, including his two sons, Jess and Kieran, which is on par with basketball.

"All I do is for my children," Davis said.

He hopes the Lakers are nowhere near the end of the season.

But if Nala hadn't drawn a rainbow and placed it on a pile of clothes in the corner of his bedroom's storage room, that glimmer of hope wouldn't have come to him so quickly and stayed with him for a long time.

"That's when I suddenly picked myself up, like saying, 'Damn it,'" Davis said. "I went grabbed her, hugged her, and then I'm fine."

"It's like, 'Okay, let's get to work.'" ”