Getty Anthony Davis & LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Los Angeles Lakers are in the midst of a very ugly losing skid but it’s not panic time quite yet. The team is supposed to be getting Dennis Schroder back soon and they still hold the third seed in the Western Conference. Obviously, teams hate losing but the Lakers will be just fine.
In fact, Anthony Davis believes that it will help the team in the long run. In an interview with The Athletic, Davis made it clear that the team is far from getting into panic mode.
“It’s definitely tough,” Davis said, “but it also shows what we need to get better at, the holes in our team that we need to get better at those things coming into the playoffs. It’s a great learning opportunity for us. … So no one is worried obviously we want to win games and win games fast just because to get back in the win column and make guys feel good.”
With the All-Star break arriving soon, the Lakers will have a chance to get back into the groove of things. Once Davis returns from his injury, the team should go back to playing like the best team in the Western Conference.
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Davis Talks LeBron James’ MVP Chase
A big reason why the Lakers haven’t had any even harder time without Davis and Schroder is LeBron James. Despite turning 36 in December, he’s playing at a very high level and is probably the front-runner to win the NBA’s MVP award this season. However, that’s not much of a concern to him. According to Davis, LeBron is far more concerned about winning a championship than an MVP.
“Put it to you like this,” Davis said. “I know that that man does not care about MVP awards. He cares about championships. So if he loses the MVP and wins the championship like he did last year, he doesn’t care. So that’s what his mindset is, he’s not focused on MVPs. He’s focused on Finals MVPs.”
Of course, LeBron would rather win a championship than an MVP but it’s not true that he doesn’t care. He made it very clear last year that he was upset that Giannis Antetokounmpo winning the award. If things keep going the way they are, LeBron could win the MVP and a championship this season.
Davis Helping Teammate During Games
While Davis hasn’t been playing in games, that doesn’t mean he’s not trying to do his part. He obviously can’t do anything on the court but he’s been helping coach up his teammates since getting hurt.
“Something might happen while a player is in the game and they want to see it to see how they can adjust,” Davis said. “And so that’s kind of my job. I see something on the floor, I kind of use the iPad and film because film never lies. Where I can show guys what they’re doing wrong and what they’re doing right. And hopefully, it can benefit us when they go back on the floor.”
Davis has taken on a leadership role with the Lakers and he’s getting more comfortable. The team should be happy to see that he’s staying invested despite the injury.
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