Anthony Davis could have some extra motivation for the remainder of the Lakers‘ first-round series against the Nuggets. Davis feels slighted that he wasn’t one of the three finalists for the Defensive Player of the Year award, he told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
“I’ll never get it,” Davis said. “They’re not giving it to me. The league doesn’t like me. I’m the best defensive player in the league. I can switch 1 through 5. I can guard the pick-and-roll the best in the league, from a big standpoint. I block shots. I rebound. I don’t know what else to do. I’m over it. I’m just going to do what I got to do to help the team win and try to play for a championship. Accolades and individual awards, I’m done with those.”
We have more on the Lakers:
- Austin Reaves is hopeful that D’Angelo Russell remains with the team beyond this season, and his reasons go beyond the court, he told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. “I want him to be around. That’s probably my best friend on the team,” Reaves said. “We hang out off the court and golf a lot together. We’re constantly in communication and play Call of Duty together. He’s been one of my closest friends since I’ve been in the NBA. Obviously, his basketball play speaks for itself with how talented he is and what he can do for our group. We need him to be at our best. When he’s playing at his best is when we’re playing at our best. Anything we can do or I can do to help him stay around, I’m definitely going to try to do that.” Russell holds an $18.7MM option on his contract for next season.
- Jarred Vanderbilt is no longer wearing a walking boot, Jovan Buha of The Athletic tweets. Vanderbilt hasn’t played since Feb. 1 due to a right midfoot sprain. He went through some drills during the team’s shootaround on Tuesday but won’t play in Game 2.
- Coach Darvin Ham admits it’s virtually impossible to keep Nikola Jokic in check, Buha adds in another tweet. “It’s like (bleep), I don’t know what to do. You just gotta go out there and try to be as disciplined as possible, aggressive and consistent. And have a next-play mentality, man. … Kid is a generational-type player,” Ham said.
“The league doesn’t like me”
Oh stop Ad…
He does make all defensive teams. He just misses more time so it won’t get awarded.
Draymond and Gobert have just been better the last 5-7 seasons.
Compare how the league and media treat AD, who takes 10 seconds on every FTA, to Giannis, who is ACTUALLY a top 75 player unlike AD’s undeserved inclusion. Plus a two time MVP and a DPOY. GA becomes the first player EVER to average 30 on 60% shooting and he’s not even a finalist. Luka in over him is a joke.
I know you don’t watch basketball because you called Giannis “GA”. Nobody, ever, in the time he has been in the league has called him GA. Its like calling Steph “SC”
I do think AD has a case as far being a finalist for DPOY over Bam or Wemby however the award should go to Gobert. I wouldn’t say the league doesn’t like him but for most part the fans and media do have a certain disdain for him. Of course a big part of that is because he seems to have a sense of entitlement as shown in the response he gave in this interview. He’s also obviously not “over it” or he would’ve just brushed off the question instead of campaigning for the award next season.
man these Knicks just won me over tonight. The way they just snatched that game from Philly was absolutely incredible. They won’t win the title but I’ma def be rooting for them. Philly just played soft as tissue down the stretch. Joel had an excuse but Tobias & Maxey both got a lot of explaining to do in that locker room. So much respect gotta go to the Knicks tho. Tough win. Legendary win.
Maxey has an illness he did play well enough. The illness will impact the stamina.
Tobias is on the way out though, he wasn’t getting a big contract again but still not doing himself any favors. Knicks play tough and don’t even have Randle, not sure how much Randle would make them better.
If Knicks hold on and advance we can be in for a fun match up them vs Bucks or the classic Pacers vs Knicks.
Maxey has no explaining to do. He was one rebound shy of a 35 point triple double on 12-22 shooting while being so sick that he missed the morning shoot around.
Sixers have been looking for more from Tobias Harris for a couple of years. At that salary he’s just Harrison Barnes out there. He shows flashes but leaves you wanting.
I LOVE the pickup of Nicholas Batum. He has risen to the occasion with a lot of huge 3’s and some very key blocks and great defense. That guy’s a player even at his advanced age.
Plus Kyle lowry. What a gamer. You have to have him on the floor because he’ll provide a boost in so many different ways. Love it.
Keep shooting DLo
He was locked in. He had a very good night. Let’s hope that continues in games three and four at least
He just has to let it fly, thats who he is regardless of results
Hope he stays away from Lakers threads who just abuse this guy nightly and its pretty disgusting. We have a ton of terrible fans but for for all different reasons than outsiders understand. Outsiders seem to think our fanbase is filled with over zealous fans when in reality if you ever dipped into an active All Lakers thread you’d be blown away with how many people are haters on our own team
Kcp was hated on, Kuzma was a punching bag and now Dlo has inherited the throne … its pretty gross tbh. They had a field day game 1 over Dlo, almost felt like they were happy to be justified in their hate for dlo matching up with his game 1 letdown
You skipped the Westbrook riots of 22’
That was a world train, but yea
I’m going a touch deeper for Lakerland exclusive crazy takes
Also many fans were ok w the tht caruso decision saying Alex maxed out and was never going to be a good shooter
Poor Andrew Bynum and his 1.2 knees, he really got it rough too
AD should have been done with seasonal awards a long time ago. This is the first time in 6 seasons that he’s played more than 62 games, and he’s been compromised health-wise for stretches in each of those 6 seasons. It’s as likely as the league has forgetten about him than that it dislikes him. Of course, even if the league does dislike him, it’s unclear why that would cause the sportswriters who vote on the award to leave him off their ballots.
FWIW, when on the court at full strength, I think he is the best all around defensive player in the league. But that’s only a preliminary part of the discussion for a seasonal award.
“Its like (bleep), I don’t know what to do”
Words no head coach in the NBA should publicly say no matter the circumstance.
Always pointing fingers about the guy over there. How about a solution? How about a basketball take?
If you were the coach of the Lakers what would you do to guard Nicola jokic?
So many people complain about a problem but don’t have a solution for it. Whiney, snivelly, comes with 11 pointing fingers and zero ideas.
Do what Red Auerbach used to do. Let the one guy get his 50-60 points and shut down the rest of the team. But fear not, the refs will take care of the Lakers.
Gary you need to learn how to read. Im not an NBA coach playing the Denver Nuggets. It is not my job to tell everyone how to beat Jokic.
If I were to be an NBA head coach playing the Denver Nuggets, the one thing you could bet your back pockets on, is that I would not go to the media and say “I dont know what Im doing”. That was the entire point you missed.
You’ve been awfully sour since my Kings killed your dynasty. It doesn’t suit you.
You don’t talk basketball, you talk garbage. Including above about the guy and Giannis.
I congratulated the Kings on their well-earned Victory and actually rooted for them in the next game. I’m upset we lost but I’m not sour towards the kings. Why would I be?
How does one loss kill the dynasty? The dynasty was killed when Klay got hurt. They’ve been trying to run it back unsuccessfully ever since.
Your contributions to this site are left wanting. 1 out of 10 are basketball thoughts and usually inaccurate, and the other 9 are going after posters for some strange reason.
Lol Kings are a pathetic joke. Only 1 playoff appearance in 18 years. Their only “achievement” in the last 19 years has been a play-in win over the Warriors, only to not make the playoffs. And we know in a 7 game series, Kings has no chance agains the Warriors.
Kings haven’t “killed” any dynasty. Warriors won 4 titles in the last 10 years, out of six finals appearances. Kings can’t even dream of achieving that.
Not surprised that Kings fans are celebrating losing lol.
Only difference between Kings fans and Warriors fans. Kings fans know when they’re team isn’t good enough to make it to the next phase. Warriors guys seem to have turned off that part of their brain.
Keep flexing the rings though. You’ll say the exact same thing 15 years from now almost word for word. Cling to your fandom.
Yes and we’ll continue to count on you to talk trash about the Warriors, of whom you’re not even a fan.
Either worry about your kings or worry about making “basketball” posts instead of “posts about posters.” Fair enough? Too much?
At least Warriors have the rings to flex. Kings are a poverty franchise. They won a championship as Rochester Royals in 1951 lol. Kings can only dream of ever achieving what the Warriors have.
Keep celebrating mediocrity and losing. Thats all the loser Kings have to offer.
Yes Captain Ron and that’s fine. I get the kings are struggling. They’ve had a few great years and a bunch of mediocre years.
As a warrior fan we had a lot of crappy years as well in the 80s 90s 2000s except for maybe three great years.
So it’s not Kings fan this or Warriors fan that. It’s why would a Kings fan come to every Warriors article and trash on Warriors fans opinions? Why come in with horrible posts disparaging the franchise? Why be so douchey? That’s what I don’t get.
I’ve explained it to you many times. Again with the reading.
AD just ate a game winner. Kind of funny now.
Who’s your daddy?
At his best, Anthony Davis is probably the best defender in the NBA.
But the award is called Defensive Player of the Year, not Defensive Player of the 35 Possessions Where Your Body Felt Good. His career contains just as many injury updates as it does NBA highlights. Even when he plays he’s not really healthy. This season alone he slogged through a few weeks of back issues, a few weeks of eye issues, just to name a few.
Davis said all that and then went and baked it up like a real man in the 4th quarter by putting up 1 assist in 10 minutes. He gets no recognition because he deserves no recognition. Because when the moment gets big, he gets small. You got your clutch players who do what it takes to get the win and then you got prima donna’s like Davis who fold under pressure.