“Mr. AD has to pick it up”- Shaquille O'Neal outlines the LA Lakers’ expectations from Anthony Davis

Shaquille O’Neal and his colleague Charles Barkley are often seen debating and arguing about their differing view points on the show “NBA on TNT”. But this time they shared the same opinion when questioned about the Los Angeles Lakers’ poor start to the current season. After playing 25 games, the Lakers have recorded a 13-12 record, winning their last fixture against the Boston Celtics.

Shaquille O’Neal feels Anthony Davis is not matching up to the expectations of a player of his caliber, Shaq said -

“Well Charles [Barkley] makes a great point. Mr. AD has to pick it up.”

Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley feel that Davis should be the Lakers best player

In this current season, Anthony Davis has missed only one game, while averaging 24.1 points, 10.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists. However, Davis has been inconsistent and does not look as dominant as he was in the 2019-20 season alongside LeBron James. Shaquille O'Neal goes on to mention that Anthony Davis is expected to be as good as LeBron for the Lakers. He says –

“You know we keep talking about LeBron, we all know LeBron is great, but Mr. AD has not played great. 19% from the three-point line is unacceptable for a player of his calibre. And the way he’s been playing is not acceptable.”

With the changes the Lakers made in the off-season, they put themselves in an even brighter spotlight. With the current roster, it is crucial for Anthony Davis to be dominating on both ends of the floor. The way the game is being played in today’s era; centers who can shoot from deep are a major asset for any team. However, Anthony Davis' numbers from deep have fallen drastically in comparison to previous seasons.

LeBron James has struggled with minor injuries that have kept him out for a few games, affecting his rhythm this season. In a situation like this, the Los Angeles Lakers cannot fully depend on LeBron James and other veterans. As an eight-time NBA All-Star, Anthony Davis needs to play his role in carrying the team to a better record. Shaquille O’Neal also commented on the Lakers troubles when closing out games, saying

“They are old and at times they are not focused. No team fears them. They try to hit the switch when it’s too late. They are coasting because they are veterans.”

Even with their wins, the Lakers’ margins have been small. They have won only two games comfortably, with a significant margin. Anthony Davis has played significant minutes at center, a position Shaquille O’Neal has dominated for the Lakers in the past. The duo of Anthony Davis and LeBron James has often been compared to that of Shaquille O’Neal and the late Kobe Bryant, and the expectations surrounding them are at a similar level too.

The Lakers have performed well in their last three games, losing only one of them against the Clippers. In those games, Anthony Davis averaged 23 points, 11 rebounds and 3.3 assists. In the last game against the Boston Celtics, the “Big Three” of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook put up a combined 61 points, playing in sync with each other. Things might be looking up for the Los Angeles Lakers as they start a two-game roadtrip to Memphis and Oklahoma.