Anthony Davis does not believe that the Los Angeles Lakers’ title shot has been affected by the nearly four-month shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In any case, he said, it is just the opposite.
Davis and the Lakers were considered the favorites to win the NBA title this season. Due to the break, he believes his chance to claim the league championship when play resumes at Walt Disney World near Orlando Florida later this month has actually increased.
“Actually, I think our chances are higher just because we all rest and are ready to go,” Davis said, via ESPN. “In any case, our chances increased and it will be about who wants it the most.”
Anthony Davis believes that the parenthesis of COVID-19 has actually increased the Lakers’ chance of winning the NBA title this season. (Brian Rothmuller / Icon Sportswire / Getty Images)
While Davis may feel that way, he seems to have forgotten a key point in his logic: All the other teams have had to rest since the game also stopped in March. The Lakers did not receive special treatment. The 22 teams and players entering the restart in Orlando are on an equal footing from that point of view.
The team is also starter Avery Bradley, who chose not to restart, and it could be short Dwight Howard, who is considering not playing due to the Black Lives Matter move and the death of his son’s mother earlier this year. The team did sign with JR Smith to replace Bradley, however coach Frank Vogel said they will not seek a replacement player for Howard if he does not join them in Florida, according to ESPN.
Still, Davis said he made good use of his free time.
The 27-year-old averaged 26.7 points and 9.4 rebounds this season, his first with the team, when the game was suspended. He’s shooting better than 84 percent from the free throw line, the best of his career, and he’s also averaging 2.4 blocks per game.
He also lost time throughout the year due to various injuries, including his shoulder, elbow, and coccyx.
Now, he said Thursday, all of that is behind him.
“It’s been good for me to let some of them suffer the lingering injuries I had when the NBA stopped to recover and heal and get back to the best version of myself,” Davis said on ESPN. “I feel 100 percent healthy. Well, I don’t feel. am [100 percent healthy]. I feel like I’m ready. Ready to go.”
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