Los Angeles Lakers legend James Worthy made a bold claim about Anthony Davis after his sensational performance in the team’s 116-97 rout of the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday, April 6, at Crypto.com Arena.
“This is the best season I’ve ever seen [Davis] have in his career,” Worthy said during the postgame show on Spectrum SportsNet Los Angeles.
Davis, 30, is averaging 24.7 points, 12.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 2.4 blocks this season.
However, the 24-year-old version of Davis during the 2017-18 season remains to be his best in his 12-year career.
During that season, Davis finished third in both the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year voting as he averaged a career-high 28.1 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.5 steals, and 2.6 blocks per game. He also made the All-NBA First Team and NBA All-Defensive First Team.
Davis has already played a Lakers career-high 73 games this season and is on track to play 77 games, the most he’s had since appearing in 75 games during his 2017-18 campaign.
Worthy’s bold take on Davis came on the heels of a defensive clinic against the Cavaliers.
Davis had six blocks and three steals in a performance that separated him from Cavaliers’ big man Jarrett Allen in the Defensive Player of the Year race. Rudy Gobert, whom Davis faces this Sunday, April 7, remains the odds-on favorite to win the award.
“I saw at least five or six times where he made people change their minds about taking the shot,” Worthy added.
Anthony Davis’ 62nd Double-Double of the Season
Davis also delivered 22 points and 13 rebounds to move within one double-double away from catching Shaquille O’Neal at No. 4 in the most double-doubles in a single season in franchise history.
Worthy’s teammate, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the best Lakers center in history, is on top of the list with 66 which he did twice in his career. Magic Johnson follows with 65 during the 1988-89 season and O’Neal with 63 during the 1999-2000 season.
Lakers Move Up to 8th Seed in Western Conference
The win pushed the Lakers to the eighth seed in the Western Conference and only 1.5 games outside the sixth seed with four games left in the regular season.
“I just like the way they’re playing regardless of where they’re going to end up,” Worthy said of the Lakers, who have won four straight and nine of their last 10. “I hope they are able to move up and get out of that play-in situation but I just love the way they’re playing.”
“We understand the moment. We understand where we are, the circumstances but this is what you want,” Davis told Lakers sideline reporter Mike Trudell during his postgame interview. “Obviously, we don’t want to be in this situation but we are and so we’re just making the best of it having fun and and just sharing the basketball, playing together and letting the chips fall where they may.”
The Lakers had 30 assists in 45 made field goals. They are 23-7 this season when they have at least 30 assists.
They are peaking at the right time as they are tied with the third-best record (15-7) with the Orlando Magic and Dallas Mavericks since the All-Star break behind title favorites Boston Celtics (18-4) and Denver Nuggets (18-5).
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Lakers Legend James Worthy Offers Bold Take on Anthony Davis