If you compare the Lakers’ last start of the season, you could say the team is thriving under JJ Redick so far this 2024-25 campaign. However, it hasn’t all been the rookie coach’s influence, as they owe much of their success to Anthony Davis’ performances, which even sparked MVP talk all last month.
After 19 games played, AD is already increasing his scoring averages since last year, and many believe it has to do with JJ’s offensive strategy, in which the versatile big man feels encouraged to take shots from range. The superstar is dropping in 37.5% of his attempts from beyond the arc.
Despite his strong displays, Davis doesn’t want to think about individual accomplishments. “The MVP stuff and all that stuff will come whenever it comes, if it comes,” he said this past weekend. “It’s not like I’m going to dominate so I can win MVP. I think a lot of times when players focus on winning an individual award, they get lost in that and not focusing on team basketball.”
"Some people just don't wanna be the bad guy. Maybe [AD] don't wanna be responsible for losing games. Maybe he can't take the pressure of dropping this game."
Gilbert Arenas on Anthony Davis' reluctance to take over 4th quarters.
(via @GilsArenaShow)pic.twitter.com/otIEJbxits
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 3, 2024
“If I had the mindset, ‘Oh, I have to win the scoring title, I have to average 30 [points] every game,’ then I’d be forcing shots and doing things just to score 30, just to get the scoring title, just to try to get MVP—and now my team is losing,” Anthony added. “As long as my team is winning and playing the right way, that’s my MO. I don’t care about anything else.”
The 31-year-old insisted that all he and LeBron James want is to win another championship together. “Right now we’re in control of our own destiny since we’re sitting in the [sixth] seed, so we’ve just got to continue to do what we do,” he said, recalling their title conquered during the 2020 bubble.
He then added: “[LeBron and I] definitely want to win another championship. I want to win another championship. I want a parade. I want to experience that. I know [LeBron] wants to.I know some guys on our team want to win their first one.”
The Lakers big man is averaging 28.6 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in 35.5 minutes per game so far and wants more.“We’re all competitive and we’re all playing for each other and just trying to play the right way for one common goal,” Davis assured.
The Los Angeles team have fallen short in the past couple of weeks and LeBron James believes they haven’t found the best offensive formula
The purple and gold squad just had their worst offensive display of the campaign as they were overcome by the Timberwolves this Monday evening, having just managed 80 points while committing 20 turnovers and LeBron James was at the forefront of both, shooting just 4-of-16 to finish with only 10 points to his name.
“We’re just not good offensively right now” he told the press postgame. “I think we spent so much time on trying to get our defense corrected that our offense just took a toll and took a back seat to that. We’re not great offensively right now.”
The all-time NBA leading scorer pointed out one specific thing to improve. “It’s not just one area, but definitely spacing. Guys have been on top of each other. We’re not getting our running habits as we were early on. But it’s a little bit of everything. It’s not just one thing,” he shared.
Some experts suggest that the Lakers should depend more on Davis for their offensive strategy, as he’s been shooting an efficient 55.2% from the field and a highly-improved 37.5% from beyond the arc, which is the highest three-point percentage of his career.
