Anthony Davis has made a huge impact ever since joining the Los Angeles Lakers. In his two seasons with the franchise, he has won the NBA title in his very first season and last season he struggled with injuries and saw the Lakers get knocked out of the first round in the playoffs. So it has been a mixed bag stint for the big man in Lakers till now.
In his first season with the Lakers he won the title and LeBron James bagged the finals MVP. Despite being much inexperienced as compared to LeBron, AD came the closest to winning that award mainly due to his sensational performances in the finals. It was a good decision from the Lakers manager to rope him in as he reckons to be the face of the franchise after King James.
The Lakers have already gathered a superteam with multiple veterans as they look to regain the NBA title from the Milwaukee Bucks. The NBA fans are also excited with all the superteam narrative and some of them want to see the Lakers taking on the Nets in the finals. Many NBA experts believe that AD is the key for the Purple and Gold army to beat the Nets’ big three of Kyrie Irving, James Harden and Kevin Durant.
Recently former NBA player and analyst Richard Jefferson made an appearance at the “No Chill With Gilbert Arenas.” While chatting he made a statement regarding the Lakers vs Nets finals. He said, “The only way for the Lakers, if everybody is healthy, to win that series is if Anthony Davis is the best player on the Lakers.”
It was surely a bold claim but Jefferson also believes that the Nets do not have any answer to a fully fit and healthy Anthony Davis. AD and James have this healthy competition going which helps the Lakers spur forward.
Jefferson further added, “They took control of the series when Anthony Davis was playing like the best player on the floor like a top-five player like everyone says. But no one calls him a top-five player, they call him a top-five talent.
“Top five talent is one of the most disrespectful things. The reason why I call you a top-five talent and not a top-five player is because top-five players do it every single night. And they impact the game not just with their numbers at the end of the game. They impact their game and you’re like, ‘dude, that dude was a monster.’”
Ahead of the new NBA season, AD’s first priority will be to get fully fit after a disappointing last season where he was mostly on the treatment table nursing his injuries. Therefore he needs to come back strongly and deliver consistently as Jefferson feels that is the only way that the Lakers can beat the Nets.
