NBA — In the “bubble” of Orlando, Anthony Davis (30 years old today) had never been so dominant on both sides of the floor, to guide the Lakers to the title with LeBron James.
Nevertheless, when he is on his two legs, “AD” disappoints only very rarely and he is extremely productive. Evidenced by his career averages of 24.0 points, 10.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.3 blocks and 1.3 interceptions (52% in shooting and 80% in free throws)!
Impressive numbers, which make him one of six players in history (with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elvin Hayes, Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson and Shaquille O’Neal) to shoot at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and 2 career blocks average…
In the playoffs, his statistics go up once more: 27.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.8 once morest and 1.3 interceptions per game (54% in shooting and 84% in free throws), spread over (only) four campaigns.
Here too, “The Unibrow” is part of a closed circle: that of the seven players to compile a minimum of 25 points and 10 rebounds on average at this stage of the competition, along with Bob Pettit, Elgin Baylor, Hakeem Olajuwon, Dirk Nowitzki , Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic.
It (finally) met expectations, at the highest level…
Speaking of the playoffs, let’s take a look back at Anthony Davis’ 2020 campaign. Unquestionably the period when he played the best basketball of his career.
Over almost two months of competition, and in the particular context of the “Orlando bubble (to which not everyone has acclimatized), the interior has been able to do what has always been expected of him since his arrival in the league, as number one in the 2012 Draft: dominate in attack AND in defense, on the biggest basketball scene in the world, by fining each of its vis-à-vis.
With 27.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.2 interceptions on average over 21 games (16 wins!), 57% in shooting (including 38% at 3-pointers) and 83% in throws, “AD” has quite simply familiarity with perfection and reached for the stars with The Angels
. Despite the presence of LeBron James at his side who, for the second time in his career only (following 2011), did not finish as his team’s top scorer in the playoffs (but MVP of the Finals).
Helpless, the defenders of Portland, Houston, Denver then Miami suffered in the face of the regularity and cleanliness of Anthony Davis, unstoppable at (almost) every meeting. Guided by such a monster in their racquet and the desire to honor the memory of the late Kobe Bryant as it should be, the Lakers might logically only go to the end that year, in what constituted the 17th title of their history (Celtics record tied).
Only regret? That the Chicago native never really (or rather durably) regained this level therefollowing, due to physical glitches that regularly plagued him when he started to chain. But the time has been optimistic lately, while “The Unibrow” is currently surfing on the best statistical season of his career in California (26.1 points, 12.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.1 blocks and 1.0 interceptions on average).
| Anthony Davis | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saison | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | LF | Off | Def | Until | Pd | Fte | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2012-13 | NOP | 64 | 29 | 51.6 | 0.0 | 75.1 | 2.6 | 5.6 | 8.2 | 1.0 | 2.5 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 13.5 |
| 2013-14 | NOP | 67 | 35 | 51.9 | 22.2 | 79.1 | 3.1 | 7.0 | 10.0 | 1.6 | 3.0 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 2.8 | 20.8 |
| 2014-15 | NOP | 68 | 36 | 53.5 | 8.3 | 80.5 | 2.5 | 7.7 | 10.2 | 2.2 | 2.1 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 2.9 | 24.4 |
| 2015-16 | NOP | 61 | 36 | 49.3 | 32.4 | 75.8 | 2.1 | 8.2 | 10.3 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 24.3 |
| 2016-17 | NOP | 75 | 36 | 50.5 | 29.9 | 80.2 | 2.3 | 9.5 | 11.8 | 2.1 | 2.2 | 1.3 | 2.4 | 2.2 | 28.0 |
| 2017-18 | NOP | 75 | 36 | 53.4 | 34.0 | 82.8 | 2.5 | 8.6 | 11.1 | 2.3 | 2.1 | 1.5 | 2.2 | 2.6 | 28.1 |
| 2018-19 | NOP | 56 | 33 | 51.7 | 33.1 | 79.4 | 3.1 | 8.9 | 12.0 | 3.9 | 2.4 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 25.9 |
| 2019-20 | LAL | 62 | 34 | 50.3 | 33.0 | 84.6 | 2.3 | 7.0 | 9.3 | 3.2 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 26.1 |
| 2020-21 | LAL | 36 | 32 | 49.1 | 26.0 | 73.8 | 1.7 | 6.2 | 7.9 | 3.1 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 2.1 | 1.6 | 21.8 |
| 2021-22 | LAL | 40 | 35 | 53.2 | 18.6 | 71.3 | 2.7 | 7.2 | 9.9 | 3.1 | 2.4 | 1.2 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 23.2 |
| 2022-23 | LAL | 41 | 34 | 56.3 | 26.6 | 81.0 | 3.3 | 9.2 | 12.5 | 2.5 | 2.7 | 1.1 | 2.3 | 2.1 | 26.5 |
| Total | 645 | 34 | 51.8 | 30.1 | 79.5 | 2.6 | 7.8 | 10.4 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 24.0 | |
