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LA Lakers star forward Anthony Davis put his defensive mastery on display in the third quarter of the Lakers’ matchup against Phoenix on Thursday.
After catching the ball in the paint, Suns big man Jusuf Nurkic successfully pump-faked Lakers forward Rui Hachimura. Nurkic then went by Hachimura and attempted to finish at the rim. However, Davis then came in for the help defense and swatted Nurkic’s shot straight out of bounds.
The block marked Davis’ third of the night as the Lakers began mounting a comeback.
Check out Davis’ highlight block below:
LeBron James calls Anthony Davis one of the greatest big men in Lakers franchise history
Many have been critical of Anthony Davis during his LA Lakers tenure, calling him out for his inconsistent effort. However, his co-star, LeBron James, knows just how important Davis is to the Lakers organization.
During an interview on Saturday, James called Davis one of the greatest big men in Lakers franchise history:
“AD is great. AD is amazing.” James said.
“We’re co-captains, and he’s just as much a leader of this team as I am. He’s everything that this franchise could ever want and more; he’s one of the greatest bigs to play for this franchise for sure.”
Davis faced backlash from fans after he finished with just 17 points on 35.3% shooting in the team’s 119-107 season-opening loss to Denver on Tuesday. However, when locked in, Davis has proven to be one of the most dominant two-way players in the game.
James is now the oldest player in the NBA, as he is set to turn 39 in December. So, the Lakers will likely need Davis to take on more of an alpha role this season. However, it’s clear that James is more than confident that Davis can do so.
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