Anthony Davis played probably his best game of the playoffs against the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of the Western Conference semi-finals. After his dominant performance, questions were raised on whether he is the best player on the Los Angeles Lakers. Shannon Sharpe disagreed and believes LeBron James still holds that title.
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The semi-final matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors is underway, and Game 1 is in the books. The Lakers took the first game after a spectacular performance by their superstar Anthony Davis. An intense battle throughout the game came down to the dying seconds, with Jordan Poole missing a game-tying shot.
Davis has had a roller coaster postseason with on-and-off performances in the first round against the Memphis Grizzlies. When he played with aggression and attacked the basket, he seemed unstoppable. While on the off days, he looked tired and lethargic on the court. It will be interesting to see if he can continue his Game 1 performance throughout the series.
Shannon Sharpe believes LeBron James is the best player on the team
The co-host of the show ‘Undisputed with Skip and Shannon’ – Shannon Sharpe, believes Anthony Davis might be the most important player on the team, but the best player remains to be LeBron James. When asked about the same on the show, here is what he had to say:
“No I believe Anthony Davis is the most important player, I believe LeBron is the best player. Because LeBron does it at a high level on a nightly basis than Anthony Davis does.”
Shannon harped on Anthony’s inconsistent performances that have hurt the team as much as it has benefitted them. Anthony has had games ranging from 30 points and 20 rebounds to games with 13 points and 8 rebounds. LeBron, meanwhile, has not been his usual self but has been consistent in his performances and has made big plays when the team needed the most.
There is no doubt in anyone’s mind, that if Davis can produce great numbers on a nightly basis, the Lakers would be favorites to win the championship. However, it could be the weight of playing through injuries, a fatigued body, or the lack of motivation that has restricted his ability to perform at a high level on a nightly basis.
Previewing Game Two between LA Lakers and Golden State Warriors
After dropping Game 1 at home, the Warriors will be looking to bounce back in Game Two of the second-round series. Their inability to score in the paint and allow Anthony Davis to camp under the basket needs to be addressed by Steve Kerr if the team wants to make a deep run. Draymond Green and Kevon Looney need to be more physical with the Lakers’ center, trying to limit his scoring.
The Lakers need to weather the initial storm that the Splash Brothers will throw at them and continue to be disciplined in guarding Steph Curry off the ball. They would also need a more efficient shooting night from LeBron James and D’Angelo Russell. Jarred Vanderbilt has his task cut out and needs to carry forward his defense from the first game.
