Portland Trail Blazers v Los Angeles Lakers: 5 Laker opponents to watch

Anthony Davis

2019/20 season

62 games – 62 starts – 25.0 minutes per game

26.1 points – 9.3 rebounds – 3.2 assists – 1.5 steals – 2.3 blocks

2P% – 54.6%,  3P% – 33.0%, FT% – 84.6%

Anthony Davis is one of the most versatile and devastating players in the game. The best two way big in the league, Davis is adept defending the basket or attacking it.

In his first year with the Lakers, Davis has meshed seamlessly with LeBron James. He has been a monster in transition, while also improving his shooting game and moving between the four and the five. As a passer, he is one of the best at his position.

Davis has numerous career highs this year, while he is in the final three for voting in the defensive player of the year award.

Davis is probably the most significant threat on this Lakers team for the Blazers, because no one can match up with him. Jusuf Nurkic may be able to defend the pick and roll and contest at the rim, but in transition and the open court, Davis size and speed is devastating.

This isn’t a blight on Nurkic, but there are very few players in the league who can stick with AD.

Davis hasn’t played a massive amount of minutes as the five with LeBron at the four. And even when he did, it was with Avery Bradley in the lineup, who is unavailable for the playoffs.

The combination of Davis at the five and LeBron at the four may be the kryptonite that blows the league wide open. This combo is one of the best in the league at +12.5 points per 100 possessions. At some point, we will see these two together, and it won’t be pretty for the Blazers.

Carmelo Anthony will be on LeBron this series, but this leaves poor old Nurkic, or even worse, Hassan Whiteside on Davis.

Look for Davis to stretch out to three and attack from the perimeter, while also creating havoc in the pick and roll with LeBron.