In some ways, the first round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs has been a poor one for the Los Angeles Lakers’ Anthony Davis.
He has had only one very strong offensive performance so far, which came in Game 3 when he scored 31 points, and he has shot a combined 8-of-27 in Game 2 and Game 4.
His critics, of which there are many, even among Lakers fans, have piled on him as a result and questioned whether he is a true superstar.
But one mark of a true superstar is the ability to impact a game and help his team win even when he is playing poorly on offense, and that’s exactly what Davis has done in this series versus the Memphis Grizzlies.
He’s averaging 12.3 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 4.8 blocked shots a game in the series, and he hasn’t let his offensive struggles affect his effort defensively or on the boards.
Davis made a very clutch play at the end of regulation of Game 4 to help put the Lakers in position to win. After LeBron James tied the game at 104, Ja Morant caught the inbound pass and appeared to have a good look at a potential game-winning shot.
Instead, Davis hustled over and fly-swatted the shot, forcing overtime, where L.A. won 117-111 to take a 3-1 series lead. It was one of four rejections he had that night.
Anthony Davis blocks Ja Morant’s potential game winner 🚫
Lakers and Grizzlies are headed to OT!pic.twitter.com/KpQ98iE3zC
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) April 25, 2023
Make no mistake: Davis will likely need to play up to his standards offensively for the Lakers to advance, let alone reach at least the Western Conference Finals. But his outstanding defense and rebounding have allowed them to win games even when he has failed to hit shots or even get the ball.
It’s a major reason they have held the Grizzlies to 106.8 points per game and a 105.9 offensive rating in this series.
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