"AD's a monster": D'Angelo Russell raves about Anthony Davis' masterclass to Rob Pelinka as Lakers' big drops 26 and 19 in close win

Anthony Davis performed exceptionally against the Orland Magic on Monday, Oct. 30, registering 26 points and 19 rebounds in his team's 106-103 win. The Lakers have now won two and lost two of their opening four games.

D'Angelo Russell praised Davis' showing against Orlando. After the game, he was caught on camera telling Lakers GM Rob Pelinka that "AD is a monster." The veteran guard saw firsthand how dominant Davis can be when he's locked in and playing at the top of his game.

The player has had three impressive performances for the Lakers since struggling against the Denver Nuggets on opening night and is stepping into a leading role for the team.

Davis has been tipped to become the team's number one option, allowing LeBron James to operate as a second option and conserve his energy for the postseason.

The Lakers haven't enjoyed the start they would have wanted even though Davis is performing at an elite level, but will continue to stack wins if their star player continues performing like he has in recent games. Davis can be a dominant force when healthy and engaged, which will give the Lakers a legitimate chance of being competitive this season.

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Shannon Sharpe wants to see more from Anthony Davis

Speaking on an Oct. 30 episode of ESPN's First Take, before Anthony Davis produced another big performance for the Los Angeles Lakers, Shannon Sharpe questioned the star big man's consistency.

The former NFL star noted how expectations for Davis are high, and he needs to rise to the occasion:

"What top-75 anniversary guy can give his team one rebound in the first half and zero points in the second half and escape criticism? Wait a minute, AD, do you understand what's expected of you?," Sharpe said.

"The expectations are different for you, AD. So, you should be mad at yourself...Guys are like, 'he played both ends of the court.' That's what is expected of you. They gave you a max contract."

Anthony Davis is prone to have stretches where he struggles. He's a rhythm player who needs consistent minutes and a clean bill of health in order to be at his best. However, in recent seasons, Davis has struggled to remain consistently healthy.

Before injuring his back against the Denver Nuggets last season, Davis was performing at an MVP level. The Lakers need their star big man to rediscover that type of production and sustain it for the entire season. If he can do that, the Purple and Gold could be lifting another championship at the end of the season.