During an interview with NBA reporter Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Los Angeles Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell was asked about Anthony Davis‘ injury-prone label.
Russell said Davis gets motivated by his critics.
“I think that’s a huge misconception,” Russell said. “It does nothing but motivate him. I’ve never seen him take a game off defensively. He might not win the matchup, but he’s always there. There’s no night off defensively for him. That’s his bread and butter. I’ve seen him rise in the playoffs, where it’s a different level, and he dominates. I’ve always got his back in that sense.”
Davis has never played in more than 75 games in a season. He’s suffered multiple lower body injuries since entering the NBA in 2012 as the first overall pick, earning the nickname “Street Clothes.”
However, Davis has silenced many of his detractors this season. He’s appeared in 68 games, averaging 24.7 points, 12.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.2 steals and 2.4 blocks while shooting 55.3% from the field, 28.9% from beyond the arc and 81.5% from the free-throw line.
Davis is 11th in the NBA in points, 15th in points per game, second in rebounds, third in rebounds per game, fourth in blocks and fifth in blocks per game.
“I just enjoy being his teammate,” Lakers guard Austin Reaves said about Davis, via The Athletic. “He makes life so much easier for everybody on the court. His dominance of the game on both ends of the floor.”
The Lakers are in ninth place in the Western Conference standings with a record of 41-32. They have won five games in a row.
If the regular season ended today, the Lakers would face the Golden State Warriors in the 9-10 play-in tournament game. LA would need to win two play-in games in a row to make the 2024 playoffs.
Davis and the Lakers beat the Warriors in the second round of the 2023 playoffs in six games.
