Anthony Davis is “probably” the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year so far, according to Lakers teammate LeBron James.
“We know great AD is defensively,” James told reporters Tuesday night.
Daviswasn’t particularly thrilled with his team’s defensive play in Los Angeles’ 112-107 win against the visiting OKC Thunder.
Per The LA Times:
“When we play fast we’re tough to beat,” Anthony Davis said. “We’re able to score a lot of points but obviously we can’t do that if we don’t get stops. We try to harp on defense, get stops and run, and for a team like [the Thunder] who like a slow-paced game … if we get out and run, we play our style of pace, our style of game, it’s tougher for them.”
Overall, though, the Lakers’ defense has generally been ahead of their offense. Allowing 100.5 points per 100 possessions, they have the second-best defensive rating in the NBA after only the Utah Jazz.
“The last two games, the Atlanta game and this game, we had some exceptional sequences on the defensive end, where we either got a deflection or blocked shot, or just great defensive rebounding, that allowed us to get a live rebound or a live ball turnover and we’re getting out and running,” Lakers Coach Frank Vogel said. “You see what we look like when LeBron has the ball in his hands and he’s going full speed, like a freight train, and the shooters running with him, or lob threats running with him, we can be really potent. That was a big part of the win tonight.”
Related LeBron James to Anthony Davis: ‘I’ll Play the Second Guy’
