Since winning a title in 2020, the narrative around Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis has changed dramatically.
Once considered to be a perennial MVP candidate and top-5 NBA talent, pundits have shifted the conversation to Davis’ ability to stay healthy. Injuries have been the bane of Davis’ career as he has dealt with several ailments, especially the past few seasons with the Lakers that have erased the team’s hopes of competing for titles.
While the concerns over his availability are warranted, he has drawn much more criticism for being injury prone compared to contemporaries like Kawhi Leonard. Like Davis, Leonard has largely struggled to stay on the court due to lower-body injuries yet media and the fans do not seem to hold him to the same standard they do for the Laker big man.
On his show KG Certified, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce discussed Leonard’s health and the latter believes the Clippers superstar needs to start being held more accountable:
While Davis was forced to miss big chunks of the 2021-22 season, Leonard missed the entirety of the year as he rehabbed from an ACL tear he suffered in the 2021 NBA Playoffs. So far this season, Leonard has only managed to appear in two games as the Clippers manage his knee.
The major reason why Leonard gets a pass for his health concerns is because of his individual resume as a two-time NBA champion and Finals MVP. When healthy, the forward is legitimately one of the best players in the league but it remains to be seen if he’ll ever hit that level of play ever again.
While Leonard continues to work his way back, Davis has done well to fight through a nagging back injury to help the Lakers get back to the playoffs. Head coach Darvin Ham has had high praise for his star, noting how he’s been able to grow as a leader despite injuries. Hopefully Davis is able to stave away any more injuries and lead L.A. back to the postseason.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis’ health affecting rotations
Although LeBron James and Davis have been able to avoid any major injuries so far, they’ve each dealt with nagging issues that have affected their play. Ham admitted that them being less than 100 percent physically has altered his rotations so far.
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