In 24 games so far this season, Anthony Davis is averaging 23.9 points a contest for the Los Angeles Lakers. By his standards, that doesn’t look impressive, especially since his scoring average last season was a full two points higher.
But lately, he has seemingly gone into beast mode. He scored 41 points on 16-of-24 shooting, to go along with 20 rebounds, five assists and four blocked shots in the in-season tournament final last weekend. He has followed that up with back-to-back 37-point games while continuing to shoot a very high percentage.
After Wednesday’s win over the San Antonio Spurs, the superstar big man said that his perimeter shooting, as well as his teammates’ perimeter shooting, has been the key to these outbursts (h/t Silver Screen and Roll).
“Finding my shot,” Davis said during his postgame presser on Wednesday. “Of course, being more aggressive. Feel like my teammates are doing a good job – I feel like it’s easier for me to operate when guys are making shots. (Prince) made a ton of shots, actually he’s been shooting the ball extremely well in his last five, six, seven games. Cam [Reddish], C-Wood (Christian Wood) made some shots tonight, AR (Austin Reaves), Bron (LeBron James) when he’s playing. When we’re able to shoot the ball and space the floor, it’s hard for guys to come double team so it’s a lot easier for me to have one-on-one matchups and go to work.”
Indeed, Davis has made three of his five 3-point attempts in his last two games. He has largely shied away from the 3-ball this season, as he’s averaging his fewest attempts from that distance in nine seasons.
He missed L.A.’s last game, which was a humiliating 129-115 loss to the Spurs, due to a rolled ankle he sustained on Wednesday. But one should likely expect him to be dominant once again once he returns to the lineup.
