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The Lakers’ preseason was an absolute mess with the team going winless. That doesn’t boost any confidence that they can compete for a title this year, but the team still believes they have a great chance of doing just that. 

In fact, the Lakers have a secret, but not-so-secret weapon up their sleeve. Anthony Davis was arguably the main reason why the team won the NBA Finals in the bubble. However, his disappointing season last year could also be the reason why they took a first-round exit from the playoffs. With that being said, his teammates have a lot of faith in his abilities.

In an interview with Bill Oram of The Athletic, Rondo laid out what he expects from Davis this season.

“My expectation for him this year is MVP. Nothing less than MVP and championship, and he’s a guy that can do it.” 

The 2020-21 season did not go as Davis expected as he battled injuries all year long. That resulted in him only appearing in 36 games and clearly affected his performance as well as his presence in the playoffs.

This year is the start of a clean slate for AD to make his mark. With aging vets all around him, he’ll need to remain healthy if the team is to surpass everyone’s expectations. While LeBron James and Russell Westbrook are on the roster, all eyes will be on Davis as he is clearly the Lakers' best player when healthy. The team goes as he goes. 

AD and the Lakers will begin their new campaign tonight at 7 PM PST against the Golden State Warriors. Hopefully, it's the start of an MVP year for Davis and an eventual NBA title for the Lakers.

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