Lakers News: Anthony Davis Starting Position Revealed
Your Los Angeles Lakers' opening-night starting center will be... Anthony Davis!
Jovan Buha of The Athletic reports that first-year Los Angeles head coach Darvin Ham has pencilled in Anthony Davis as his team's starting center against the Golden State Warriors during tonight's regular season opener at Chase Center. AD recently stated, in no uncertain terms, that he'd much rather play power forward.
After an extensive ceremony wherein Golden State( including new Laker Juan Toscano-Anderson) will be awarded its 2022 NBA championship rings, the team will tip off against Davis and his All-Star teammate LeBron James on TNT, with Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, Ernie Johnson, Lakers legend Shaquille O'Neal
James, of course, faced off against the Warriors in four straight NBA Finals from 2015-2018, as the centerpiece of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Beyond Davis and James, it is unclear who else the team will start tonight. The contenders at point guard include $47.1 million ex-All-Star Russell Westbrook (who started all but one of L.A.'s preseason games), Patrick Beverley (the best option, if he plays like he did last year), Kendrick Nunn, and perhaps Austin Reaves, though the latter is really a better fit at shooting guard.
Head coach Darvin Ham has occasionally opted to go small at the two-guard spot, having started 6'3" Nunn and 6'1" Beverley alongside Westbrook in the past. But 6'4" Lonnie Walker IV or 6'5" Austin Reaves are most likely to get the starting nod at the two-spot. With Davis moving up a position, James will probably be shifted to power forward.
This writer projects Walker will start at shooting guard and Reaves will get the nod at small forward, but we'll find out in just a few minutes.
Golden State should win tonight, but for Lakers fans, you can stay invested by gambling heavily on L.A. and Golden State hitting various over/unders.
