During the 2019-20 season, Anthony Davis' first in Los Angeles, AD looked right on the cusp of taking over from LeBron James as the team's best player and leader. Then in the bubble, following the suspension of the regular season, he dominated and looked like the best player on the team. The Lakers went on to win their 17th NBA Title that season but have struggled ever season, largely because Anthony Davis has not become 'THE MAN'.

Since that amazing first season, where Davis averaged 26.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.3 blocks & 1.5 steals on shooting splits of 50/33/85, before showing improvements on nearly all these categories in the playoffs, He has missed nearly as many games as he has played and looked a shadow of the man we saw in Year 1.

Davis has missed 78 regular season games since the Lakers won the title in 2020, while averaging 22.5 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.9 blocks & 1.2 steals on shooting splits of 51/22.5/72.5 (All stats are below his career averages).

By now, Anthony Davis was supposed to be the best player on the Lakers team, not a pushing 38 years old LeBron James. While also challenging Giannis Antetokounmpo & Nikola Jokic as the best player in the entire NBA.

Instead, at 29 years of age, he has earned the nickname 'street clothes' for his lack of time of the court. Now he is criticized for missing games more than other players, who he has actually played more games than over the past few seasons (Kawhi Leonard & Paul George) but the name is also not wrong.

Health has always been the main concern for Anthony Davis, throughout his entire career but he only missed more than 20 games on two occasions during a seven year spell with the New Orleans Pelicans. While he has missed more than 20 in two of his three seasons in Los Angeles.

If the Los Angeles Lakers are to return to the playoffs this season, Anthony Davis must play at least 60 games and average numbers to rival the best bigs/two way players in the entire NBA because that is how much talent he has. Without AD the Lakers will be exactly the same as last season and will be battling to get into the play-in tournament all season. However with Anthony Davis at his peak they will have a better defense, an elite post player and the piece that makes all the others better, including LeBron James.

(Predicted Stat Line: 25 pts, 10 rebounds & 2 blocks per game on 50/34/80 shooting splits)

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(PHOTO CREDIT- Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports)