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Anthony Davis just dominated for the LA Lakers against the Milwaukee Bucks’ twin-tower combo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez. AD, who was unquestionably the best player in the game, finished with 44 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and three blocks.
After the game, he told the media of the familiar inspiration for his recent monster performances over the past three weeks:
“You guys know how I feel about the Pack [Green Bay Packers and him [Aaron Rodgers] so seen him before the game, ‘Hey, AD, man, I need thirty tonight.’ He say I want 30, not 40 [laughs]. It’s always good for him to come out here and watch the Lakers play, watch me play. He’s a fan, I’m a fan of his.”
Anthony Davis is from Chicago and is supposedly a Chicago Bears fan, but has been a loyal follower of Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. Over the years, he’s credited the superstar quarterback for giving him the inspiration to dominate the NBA.
Rodgers’ magic words certainly worked tonight as the Bucks, even with Antetokounmpo and Lopez around, were hardly able to contain Davis. AD shot 18-27 from the field, including numerous timely baskets that kept Milwaukee at bay throughout the game.
Besides causing trouble for the Bucks on offense, Anthony Davis was also the Lakers’ lynchpin on defense. Not many can make Giannis Antetokounmpo hesitate when he drives to the basket, but Davis certainly did that on a few occasions.
Over the last three weeks, AD has reminded everyone in the NBA that he’s arguably the best player in the league when healthy and engaged. Davis, if he can sustain this performance, should unquestionably be a hot name in the MVP race.
Anthony Davis took what the Milwaukee Bucks gave him
The biggest criticism during Anthony Davis’ rampaging run has been the lack of interior presence to keep him from dominating. Against the Bucks, Davis faced arguably the NBA’s premiere inside stoppers in Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez.
“The Greek Freak” is a former Defensive Player of the Year winner and is probably the game’s most versatile defender. Milwaukee also has Lopez, who is making a strong case for being the best defender in the NBA this season.
Here’s what Anthony Davis had to say about how he attacked the Milwaukee Bucks’ defense:
“I’m always confident in every shot that I take. Just knowing how they play, Brook [Lopez] being down on the floor, Giannis [Antetokounmpo] being down on the floor, it wasn’t probably going to be a get-to-the-rim game, so just trying to shoot over the top. And then after you make a couple, they start to close out.”
Davis’ jumper has deservedly been maligned over the past two years. He was so bad that opponents weren’t even going to contest him around the perimeter. At the start of the season, AD mentioned having a little problem with his wrist and that he was thinking too much about his shot.
Anthony Davis has figured it out and is looking unstoppable even with the best defenders arrayed against him.
