Stephen A. Smith Says Anthony Davis Might Win Finals MVP Over LeBron James If Lakers Advance To Next Round
The Lakers are two wins away from advancing to the NBA Finals after Anthony Davis made a buzzer-beating three-pointer in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday, giving them a 2-0 series advantage.
In an appearance on ESPN's First Take, commentator Stephen A. Smith said he wouldn't be surprised if Davis wins Finals MVP over LeBron James if the Lakers advance to the next round.
"Anthony Davis might end up winning Finals MVP," Smith said Monday.
Davis has averaged 28.7 points and 10 rebounds in the playoffs for the Lakers, who play Game 3 against the Nuggets on Tuesday at 6 p.m. PST.
In his first-ever Western Conference Finals appearance, Davis has averaged 34 points on 52.4 percent shooting from the field, including 41.6 percent from beyond the three-point line, and 9.5 rebounds over two games.
Davis, who was the runner-up for the Defensive Player of the Year award, has leaned on James throughout the postseason for advice and help.
And James' words have deeply resonated with him, inspiring him to quickly move past rare poor performances and stay focused.
If the Lakers advance to the next round, Smith said Davis might be the Laker receiving one of the most prestigious awards in the NBA.
James, a three-time NBA champion, four-time MVP and three-time Finals MVP, was the runner-up for the MVP award this season. After only getting 16 first-place votes, he acknowledged it "pissed me off."
But Smith's co-host Max Kellerman added that if James were passed over for the Finals MVP award by his good friend and teammate, he'd likely feel very differently.
"I think that's LeBron's plan," Kellerman said.