Lakers News: Anthony Davis Among Early Favorites To Win Defensive Player Of The Year

AD should have another big year.

It should come as no shock or surprise when I say that Anthony Davis is one of the best players in the NBA.

The Los Angeles Lakers big man was a game wrecker on the boards on both ends of the floor and was again a dominant player inside last season as he averaged a double double with roughly 26 points and 13 rebounds last year.

But something that gets surprisingly lost in Davis' game is just how valuable of a defensive weapon he is.

When healthy, he's one of the league's premier defenders, whether it'd be as a rim protector or even being able to capably defend on the perimeter when needed -- a skill he showed off during the Lakers' run to the Western Conference Finals last year.

Davis' lateral quickness is incredibly advanced for a big man, and he's superb at reading the game and determining the right situation to provide help defense.

All of this is to say that the league shouldn't overlook Davis' great defense, and betting experts certainly haven't forgotten that, as Lineups.com listed the 30-year-old as one of their early favorites to win the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year Award.

Davis is among the contenders, per Lineups, in the DPOY odds, as he trails reigning Defensive Player of The Year Jaren Jackson Jr. of the Memphis Grizzlies, Evan Mobley of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and is tied with Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Miami Heat's Bam Adebayo, as the later three have +1000 odds.

Davis definitely figures to live up to those expectations this coming season, and he should again be an impact player for a Lakers team that will try to replicate their success of last season.

With the superstar duo of LeBron James and Davis, plus quality role players in Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura, the team has a good chance on paper of putting on a repeat performance of last year's playoff run -- and potentially going even further.

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