Lakers News: Anthony Davis Was Most Important Player On Floor In Game 1

Is Peak AD truly "back?"

Los Angeles Lakers star center Anthony Davis may have had a somewhat erratic 2022-23 regular season, but has emerged as a stud in the playoffs thus far, turning LA into a legitimate threat to at least make the Western Conference Finals.

Across nearly 44 minutes, the 6'10" future Hall of Famer turned in his best performance of the postseason last night, a 30-point, 23-rebound, five-assist, four-block masterpiece in guiding LA to a 117-112 road win over the higher-seeded Golden State Warriors. Only retired Spurs great Tim Duncan can boast similar numbers across the board in the history of the NBA playoffs.

Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports writes that Davis' incredible two-way play, in which he served as an intimidating threat in the paint for the Warriors defensively, has just reaffirmed that he is one of the NBA's premier stars when available. 

“He’s one of the few guys that can defend laterally and vertically,” Los Angeles head coach Darvin Ham noted after the game, per Goodwill. “By that I mean he can get down in a stance and move his feet, keep a guard in front of him, force a tough, contested shot. I knew watching him during his days in New Orleans, watching him in the bubble, he’s an elite defender.”

“He’s doing exactly what I anticipated him to do,” Ham said. “He’s playing like the top-five NBA player that he is.”

Are you following us on Twitter, Facebook, or YouTube yet? Join the conversation as we discuss the latest Lakers news and rumors with fans like you!