The presence of Anthony Davis will be a big question mark as the Lakers look to get back to the 8th seed with a win against Dallas tonight.
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The good news for Lakers fans over the past month has been their play since the Russell Westbrook trade. They are back in play-in positioning for the first time since last season.
D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Rui Hachimura, and Jarred Vanderbilt have all proven to be excellent rotation pieces. Vanderbilt and D’Lo have been specifically great at their assigned roles. Beasley has blown hot and cold, but his high volume makes guarding him a necessity.
Their record without the Brody stands at 10-5, indicating a major improvement from before the trade deadline. As a unit, their defensive intensity has also gone up a few notches.
Also Read – Anthony Davis Passes Shaquille O’Neal on a Peculiar Record With His 35/17 Performance Against Pelicans
Is Anthony Davis playing tonight vs Mavericks?
Anthony Davis will likely be available for Darvin Ham in tonight’s starting lineup against the Mavericks. Dallas are currently 1 game above the Lakers, who could draw level with a win at home.
AD had expressed his desire to play in the Lakers’ previous game – a 112-108 loss to Houston. However, the Lakers’ medical staff have put him under close observation for the rest of the season. He will not be playing back-to-backs irrespective of their playoff chances.
Also Read – Anthony Davis Joins This $200 Million Rockets Legend by Breaking a 32-year-old Record
Davis’ presence will be a huge asset to the Lakers against a Mavericks frontcourt that struggles at interior defense and rebounding. Both the Mavericks’ All-Stars Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic are doubtful for this game.
Anthony Davis’ stats this season
The 30-year-old has been averaging 26.1 points, 12.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.1 blocks per game. These averages are weighed down a bit by 2 games when he departed early with injuries.
AD has been an imperious presence almost every time he’s taken the court this year. Unlike last year, when injuries held him back, he has been a defensive monster as well as a stellar offensive presence on most nights.
Despite missing several games with his injury troubles, Davis still has the league’s highest number of 30/15 games. He has been especially great during both of LeBron’s injury-enforced absences.
