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The LA Lakers are coming into this season with high hopes. That's exactly the way Anthony Davis wants it. With Davis and fellow superstar LeBron James on the roster, the Lakers have a talented team.
Davis is the key to the puzzle for the Lakers' success. It's never been a question of ability for the big man. Davis has struggled to stay healthy, as he's played in a total of 76 games in the last two seasons. If AD can stay on the court, the Lakers will have the potential to shake things up in the Western Conference.
There are still plenty of doubters about the potential of his team. With a roster full of veterans, can the Lakers contend in arguably the NBA's toughest conference? Speaking recently on "Siriux XM NBA" radio, Anthony Davis said:
“No one has us winning it this year besides us in this organization. ... We feel like we are the underdogs, and I think everybody on this team has something to prove. Everybody on this team has a chip on their shoulder. ”
Anthony Davis and the LA Lakers look to shock the world
When the LA Lakers are healthy, they have two dangerous superstars in Anthony Davis and LeBron James. The realization is that it's become a glaring problem for the Lakers to solve that issue.
Davis has missed a total of 88 games in the last two seasons. He's played over 70 games in one season just twice during his 10-year career. James, meanwhile, will turn 38 in late December. He's played in just 223 of 307 games in his four seasons as a Laker. That's more games missed than in his first 15 seasons.
Davis has been a two-way force when he's available. Even in his injury-plagued season last year, the talented forward averaged 23.3 points, 9.9 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game.
The odds are against the Lakers this season, and the entire roster knows it. With the additions of Patrick Beverley and Dennis Schroder, the hope is that this team will have enough depth to get the team back on track.
The Lakers are looking to bounce back after a disappointing season that saw them finish 11th in the Western Conference. For Davis, time is running out to show he can be relied upon to be the franchise piece they thought he would become.
