Anthony Davis Discussion: Only Player On Both All NBA + All Def

i think he needs to play with someone who's more of a vocal leader and who is shot creator on offense. that person actually needn't even be all that great. allstar level is fine.

i also don't see the disinterest that fans and media see. i think he doesn't always assert himself, but i'm not sure he should go out there doing that on this team. i don't think anyone said that about him in NO. i never saw it.

also, i'm pretty sure he's still injured and won't be healthy this year. same with lebron.

yes. i'm still pretty annoyed that he strung us along in an obvious attempt to weaken us as a competitor. joke's on you, banana hands.

 

kawhi was never going to sign with the lakers and take a backseat to lebron

if the clippers hadn't been able to trade for PG, he would've gone back to toronto

 

Pissed off AD is a different player. I wish he could channel that internally, even if he has to invent the storyline like Kobe and MJ would (not comparing him to either of them by any stretch). Hopefully game 1 was the wakeup call and game two's energy wasn't an anomaly. He was on a mission, even if he got a little way from it throughout the game.

 

An engaged AD at the 5 just creates a defense that is incredibly hard for modern NBA defenses to figure out. The footspeed plus rim protection/wingspan with Lebron and good defenders across the board just takes away what they want to create (3's plus drives into the lane)

 

Is it true the Kawhi wanted James Harden? Couldn't engineer a trade so settled for George Paul?

 

to me, this is the most-and perhaps only-frustrating thing about AD. i'm ok if you don't want to start at c in the regular season due to concerns about wear and tear, but you should still play most of your minutes there (backup centers typically aren't bruisers) and probably start there against most teams in the playoffs.

every minute we play him with a traditional big is suboptimal for both him and the team.

he has to know this.

 

Yeah we are mainly using AD at the 5 as an adjustment when we are struggling/game is tight whereas we should force opponents to find solutions for AD at the 5 from the start of the game ( there is none).

This thinking process will come back to bite us one day ..

 

KD or Butler from reports

 

Kawhi with Steph in Golden State? That would work. Issue is Klay isn't coming back for a while. And even if he does, he will essentially be the perimeter version of Boogie.

 

It's what has deflated the 3 point game. Notice for a while there the Suns weren't getting a single look from 3.

Lakers did this in the playoffs last year. I told everyone a few years ago the coach that figures out how to stop the 3 point chumps, will win titles with the right talent.

AD's defense is underrated. He was staying foot to foot with Steph and that's with his bad leg. AD is a freak of nature. A 6'10 wide body who can keep up with guards in the perimeter. AD in Game 6 in the Finals was a damn machine. He almost singlehandedly shut down the entire Miami Heat offense.

 

This is a problem with Lebron teams is he doesn't really care about just destroying teams since he's gotten into his 30s. The last time a Lebron really cared about every single game is the 27 game win streak. Otherwise even against the Suns they knew AD would have an edge, they were still hurt, and now with Chris paul hurt they just aren't going to try to finish them off with full effort.

They have and will continue to treat this is as glorified practice especially since Lebron doesn't look 100%. I mean did Lebron head hunt at all in game 2? Luka looks more like playoff Lebron right now just in terms of how he approaches each play. This attitude fits in with Davis who has been injury prone as f*** thru his career and wants to maintain his health

 

honestly, someone like kemba walker from two years ago would do just fine next to AD. doesn't need to be superstar.

obviously, luka would look quite good next to him. similar to how we look now, really.

 

AD has one flaw, and it's a tick in his head.

 

Lebron cared until he got injured. Now he's just trying to have enough energy to finish this. Finals is gonna be the hardest opponent if they get there.

 

Yeah LeBron was rolling and dominating. That high ankle sprain and re-tweaking the same ankle lower in the opposite direction really messed him up, to the point of now needing to be uber careful.

 

Win and move on. I don't really care if Lebron or AD put up monster stats or not. I just want to win another chip. It is still to be determined, if the only way we can win, is for those two to have to do so. No doubt we need them to close the games out, but if these other guys can carry some of the load for the first three quarters, that would be great IMO. Fresh superstars down the stretch is a good thing.

 

Another monstrous game from AD. 14 FT's. Back in playoff form.