Lakers News: What A Former League MVP Thinks Anthony Davis Must Do For LA To Return To Playoffs
2004 NBA MVP Kevin Garnett's closest current NBA doppelganger just might Los Angeles Lakers star power forward Anthony Davis. While Davis does have four All-Defensive Team accolades to his name, he is not the all-world defender a prime KG was with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Boston Celtics, and has been running into injury issues much earlier in his career than the 6'11" Hall of Famer.
So it makes sense that Garnett thinks highly of Davis, and accordingly has high expectations for the Lakers' eight-time All-Star forward.
Garnett was also an eight-time All-Star at this point in his career (he would ultimately make a whopping 15 appearances), but was lapping Davis in defensive honors, having already made six times heading into his year-11 season in 2005-06. He had also been named MVP as the best player on a top-seeded Timberwolves squad in 2004.
He would go on to become the 2008 Defensive Player of the Year during his age-31 season (his 13th in the league), appear in two Finals against the Lakers (winning one) and make nine All-NBA Teams, plus 12 All-Defensive Teams. Can Davis elevate himself to those levels during the home stretch of his career, or will injuries continue to limit his regular season efficacy?
During a forthcoming season preview roundtable that married his Showtime series, KG Certified, with the flagship show All The Smoke, Garnett discussed what in his mind Davis needs to do to elevate his Lakers back into the postseason conversation, following a brutal 33-49 finish to the 2021-22 season. On hand for the discussion were Garnett's old Celtics teammate Paul Pierce, plus All The Smoke hosts Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes.
"I want to see AD go for the MVP of this league," Garnett, a longtime Malibu resident said. "I want him to literally take the keys from [LeBron James] and put LA on his back, make it one of [those] must-see L.A. joints like we know LA to be."
"Listen, if AD is not talking about being the best elite big in the league and averaging 30... I don't see the Lakers being a big deal, I'm jus being 100," Garnett continued. "You want 'Bron to come out and score what, 30 again in his f***ing 20th year? Come on man."
Stephen Jackson, whose San Antonio Spurs defeated the Shaquille O'Neal-Kobe Bryant Lakers en route to the 2003 title, concurred. "If he [doesn't] have that attitude, [the Lakers are] not even gonna make the playoffs. With the way the West looks now?"
"I don't even think the Lakers are going to be a top-eight seed [in the West]," Pierce, an LA native but now a Lakers hater thanks to his status as a Celtics legend, opined.
The Lakers certainly seem to feel that way, having exhibited a willingness to feature Davis in favor of LeBron James through the first half of their eventual 105-75 preseason loss to the Sacramento Kings last night. Davis responded in kind, notching an 11-11 double-double during limited minutes in the first half of game action. He had nine field goal looks, besting James's seven.
