The Lakers have struggled to establish a consistent winning streak this season, despite the impressive performance of LeBron James. Anthony Davis’s underperformance is significantly impacting the team’s performance as a whole.
Following a lackluster performance against the Sacramento Kings, sports analysts have been subjecting the Lakers’ center to harsh criticism. While some criticism may be exaggerated, there are still valid points that hold merit.
Anthony Davis criticized by NBA analysts
Popular NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins recently criticized the big man of the Los Angeles Lakers, Anthony Davis for his poor performance against the Sacramento Kings. He blamed AD for not being able to handle Sabonis which created a lot of problems for his team. Perkins said, “Sabonis bust (Anthony Davis’) a** yesterday (in the Lakers vs Kings match) and he has been doing that in the last 8 games… Show some damn pride, bro.”
Kendrick discussed Sabonis’ dominance and criticized AD, while sports analyst Stephen A. Smith expressed his opinions without hesitation. Smith strongly criticized Davis and partially held him responsible for the defeat. He emphasized the need for individuals to publicly criticize AD for his deficiencies, warning that failure to do so may set a precedent for other athletes. Smith said, “We need to start giving more attention to Anthony Davis’ poor conditioning. We need to call him out for that.. Why in god’s name does Anthony Davis look out of it? You know why? Because his a** ain’t in shape.”
Anthony Davis performance vs Kings
The Lakers struggled against the Sacramento Kings; they were trailing them by 20 points in the fourth quarter, and the turnovers cost them the game. Anthony Davis had a horrible performance that night, which would surely be counted among the worst performances by the 30-year-old.
Even though he gave it his all, LeBron couldn’t salvage the match. Davis only scored 9 points and demonstrated a lower level of defensive effectiveness compared to his usual performance. The player’s lack of caution with the ball resulted in a significant number of turnovers, totaling five, which ultimately led to the Lakers’ defeat in the game.
Davis has been experiencing hip problems which have resulted in a rapid decline in his performance. He had already had three games in four days where he was having trouble and couldn’t get any offensive boards. The game against the Kings was no different. He must quickly address the issue or prioritize rest for injury recovery, as failure to do so may result in a challenging season for the Lakers.
What do you think of the criticism Anthony Davis has received? Do you think Davis should take a break to heal? We are eager to know your thoughts, so drop them in the comments below.