Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis has been on somewhat of a roller coaster ride to begin the 2023 NBA Playoffs. In the five odd-numbered games the Lakers have played, Davis is averaging 27.8 points and 16.8 rebounds on 57.0% from the field and has been a dominant figure on both ends of the floor.
But in the even-numbered games, it’s been a completely different story. In those four outings, he’s averaging 13.0 points and 10.0 rebounds on 40.4% shooting. The Lakers are 2-2 in the even-numbered games and 4-1 in the odd-numbered games.
This discrepancy in his performance has led to some online criticism from both fans and media personnel. It has been a major storyline throughout the early phase of the postseason, but Davis isn’t paying any mind to it.
“I have not, I’m not on social media,” Davis said after Game 3. “My teammates aren’t talking about it and my inner circle isn’t talking about it. Somebody just asked me this question in the locker room and I said that it’s a miss or make league. The same shots I had in Game 1, I had in Game 2. I made (those shots) Game 1 and I missed Game 2.
“The same shots I had in Game 2 I had in Game 3. I missed Game 2 and I made Game 3,” Davis said. “I look at it as just missed shots. I didn’t do anything differently, I didn’t change anything up, so it is what it is. I go out there and try to compete to the best of my abilities every night to help the team win. And sometimes it doesn’t work out that way. But I know, especially at this time of year, that I leave it all out on the floor. That’s all I can do.”
Davis is one of the best players in basketball when he’s playing at his best, and the criticism can sometimes serve as a reminder of that. He believes it all comes down to mindset and how you attack each game, not the individual results, according to Chris Haynes via Bleacher Report:
“It’s not like I say, ‘Well, you know what, I’m going to take the night off. I’m not going to go hard tonight. I’m not going to make shots.’ It’s not like that,” Davis told B/R. “People always want to tell you what to do, but I shot 10 times in Game 2 and I shot 11 times tonight [Davis took 10 field goals]. I got the same looks. Nothing was different aside from me making shots.
“When that negative stuff starts to circulate, I go into my own little world and remind myself of who I am and what I can do and why people are criticizing me. You’re criticized for a reason. It’s because of who you are or who they know you can be. Every single time before a game, I remind myself of who I am and I go compete.”
Although he says he doesn’t pay attention to the noise, it would likely be a weight off his shoulders if he could produce a similarly dominant output in the Lakers’ next game.
Monday night against the Golden State Warriors in Los Angeles provides him another opportunity to go out there and show people why he’s one of the best in the game, just the way he has in every other game of the playoffs to this point.
Draymond Green focusing on Davis taking tough shots
The Warriors’ primary defender against Davis has been their Defensive Player of the Year winner Draymond Green, when he’s not in foul trouble. During those times, Green has focused on forcing Davis to take tough shots and not allowing him to get to his spots as frequently as possible.
“I mean, it’s very important. You know, AD is a great player, and when you allow him to get to the spots he want to get to, there’s a reason he wants to get to those spots. He’s great at it, and he’s not going to miss many. When you try to make him do things on our terms, make it a little bit tougher.”
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