Anthony Davis is completely unstoppable...sometimes

How many big men have ever been better than Anthony Davis when he's at his best? In this enhanced segment from the Thinking Basketball podcast, Ben and Cody break down the Anthony Davis's incredible playoff performances in 2020, 2023 and the NBA Cup, and weigh those against his inconsistent play at other times in the regular season and even the postseason.
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KZbin: • Anthony Davis's weird ...
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Ben Taylor is the author of Thinking Basketball, a Nylon Calculus contributor, creator of the Backpicks Top 40 series & host of the Thinking Basketball podcast.
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#thinkingbasketball

[@henryzhao4622]

The only one who can stop AD is AD

[@jacquesl9972]

No, the only thing that can stop him is injuries

[@damnthatsfr5475]

And embiid

[@benw7367]

That and the floor

[@jacquesl9972]

@@damnthatsfr5475 Embiid lmfao. Embiid needs to worry about reaching a conference finals after being touted as a contender year after year

[@damnthatsfr5475]

@@jacquesl9972 irrelevant to embiid dominating ad whenever they play

[@uriel7940]

AD is one of those guys who when he’s at his best he’s REALLY the best.

[@micsunday14]

10 games a decade lol

[@rlmalonzo1184]

​@@micsunday14he just did it for an entire playoff run and for 30 games to closeout the year last year to carry his team to the playoffs when Lebron is injured so stfu

[@paquinraino8180]

To me that's not the case, I think that at their best Giannis or Jokic are better

[@jamalwalker]

​@@micsunday14 what?

[@hankhill2154]

@@paquinraino8180if you said they all were gonna be at their absolute best for 82 games AD and Joel would be really scary

[@lorenzo7643]

AD is the perfect playoff scheme player, his versatility allows him to become a sort of Swiss Army knife. He has the length to play big, the agility to switch and defend guards, the IQ to make the right play and every other aspect in between. I think this is why he’s had success in all the different stages, from high school, to NCAA to now NBA.

[@12gark]

And it's especially dangerous when he's start teammate is another Swiss army knife that can do a lot of different things AND he's also the best coach in the series for basically any series. A lot of AD playoff "consistency" compared to the regular season "inconsistency" is LeBron being in his ear to do something, to scheme something, to be aggressive, to plan a play here and a play there to get him going on both ends. It's also why he was wildly effective in 2018 and 2020 with Rondo. AD needs a very competent floor general to get going.

[@ThinkingBasketball]

The "inconsistency" or "street clothes" narrative is fascinating (compare him to Kawhi or Butler games played, for instance), especially given all the playoff success (2015, 18, 20, 23).

[@paquinraino8180]

@@ThinkingBasketball Kawhi is the best player of a championship team, like only number 1 and I think that Kawhi got his share of criticism for being a heavy load managed player, mostly because of his knee

[@iamkailong]

@@paquinraino8180Problem of kawhi is he clearly just can’t be full energy on both offence and defence a whole game. So in theory he is one of the best 2 way player in the league, but in reality he can only play one side. Not saying that’s bad, his offensive game is still one of the greatest.

[@HoopsAficionado]

In a high stakes setting, Davis is a DPOY level player. His performance in the In-Season Tournament game final against Indiana was exceptional. Think back to the 2020 championship run as well.

[@CrumbsLamond]

Or even last year. They don't make the WCF without AD

[@Tarno-vm7em]

yeah casually dismiss 2023, high stakes final western conference.

[@vulcanraven9701]

yeah it should be illegal for lebron and ad to be on same team

[@jacquesl9972]

@@Tarno-vm7em AD already got Jokic in 2020, and Jokic ran through Gobert/KAT/Ayton/Bam in the same playoff run. Nobody can guard Jokic. Doesn't make his point about AD any less true

[@HUGEPoWERFULMooN]

Jokic's team in 2020 was insane, like most of that team is either out of the league or at the bottom of the team rosters. Nuggets had g-leaguers playing starter minutes.

[@jacquesl9972]

Injuries have killed AD more than anything. Contrary to what people want to say, at his best, AD is better than peak Dwight. More scoring capabilities and I'll swap some interior resistance for more versatile perimeter defense in a switch all era. But none of that matters if AD can't stay on the court, and his offensive capabilities have drastically been reduced as a result of those injuries

[@strangecoolguy3049]

Yeah I agree. I really don't see the argument for dwight over AD peak for peak.

[@nolanrussell6326]

​​@@strangecoolguy3049The argument for Dwight is that his archetype was insanely valuable in the 2000s era of basketball, and he had a few peak seasons of monster impact because the league just hadn't prioritized spacing and shooting yet, so his rim protection, rebounding, and finishing combination was super valuable. Obviously his game didn't translate as well to the modern style, especially as age and injuries derailed his career but peak Dwight has a case for being better than AD (I think it's very close, but I'd probably still give a slight edge to peak AD)

[@strangecoolguy3049]

@nolanrussell6326 I believe AD is clearly the better offensive player than dwight. Defensively I believe AD is also better. If you think dwight is better Defensively then I wouldn't argue with you. I just believe everything on the basketball court AD does better than dwight

[@jacquesl9972]

@@nolanrussell6326 Those Orlando Magic teams at their peak, was designed with spacing and shooters. Dwight didn't carry them, and anybody who saw the ECF saw Rashard Lewis/Turkolu and co lighting it up from 3. In the finals, they lost directly as a result of Dwight being unable to post up and score effectively on Gasol/Bynum/Odom like he did against Big Z and Varejao on the Cavs. Dwight's best offensive strength is being a roll man similar to AD. Dwight is stronger, but AD is more mobile and can finish and catch bad lobs and still finish. Dwight's post game wasn't great. He can't float, hook shot, or shoot from midrange/3 at a respectable rate like AD could have. Dwight definitely gets disrespected by the media as a result of his 1st Lakers stint, but he was never offensively in the same region as AD

[@nomooon]

​@@strangecoolguy3049 Dwight handles nuggets better than AD

[@sar4806]

Him getting leaner again has helped a ton. I felt all that extra muscle he built contributed to the ticky-tack injuries he was susceptible to the past few seasons.

[@luizansounds]

Yeah, I always thought he was too big for his frame, he now has more room for agility and flexibility

[@Davivd2]

It's funny. That's exactly what people said after he put on the muscle. I am not trying to shit talk AD, but he's the most delicate player that I've ever seen in 32 years of watching NBA ball. He hasn't been injured the most, but he's been hurt, limping up the court, falling down, tweaking an ankle, or just out of the play from contact more than any other player than I have ever seen. As far as his weight goes, it's been an issue his entire career. I'm an advocate for letting guys be at their optimal pound for pound weight, and then developing their game around that. AD came into the league skinny, and New Orleans and LA tried to turn him into a post player. Before be bulked up, I thought that AD didn't even belong in the post. He could not get deep position. Before the ball would be passed to him, on the pass he would get pushed out at least 5 feet, and with his back to the basket he was being bent over by the defenders like he was tying his shoes because he didn't have the strength to remain upright. AD was making post moves 18 to 20 feet from the basket when he should have been 12 to 15. Now the coach wants to play 5 out, with AD playing face up ball. Well AD has to lose weight to do that. IMO, that should have been AD's role from day one of his rookie season. He can handle the ball really well for a big man. He should have developed a face up, drive and/or dish game like Giannis has. This guy has been around for a decade, and he doesn't even know who he is yet.

[@CrazyxEnigma]

It was a mistake in hindsight expecting him bulking up to not have any side effects. If I remember right Kobe bulked up for a season and it negatively impacted his shot and mobility.

[@justinle8787]

I think he's just being conservative a lot of times because of injuries lingering in his head. It's hard to go all out when you're constantly reminded that you can be out 2 weeks to a whole month with just 1 small mistake

[@ThinkingBasketball]

Motor is also an underrated component of basketball!

[@bhanuitea3469]

that shot around 5:23 is insane 🤣

[@kkoseyy1399]

i thought it was gonna be a highlight lmao

[@NotOneToFly]

Hey I've shot that shot before!

[@pedrogiraldo4367]

it's the injuries that make him inconsistent. When he gets in a rhythm bro is absolutely unstoppable because his shot starts falling making his offensive game crazy good, plus his goat level defense making him a top 5 player in this league imo

[@wallstreetzoomer]

He is better than lebron.

[@k1ng_s1asher70]

When AD is playing well/healthy, yes he's better then CURRENT Bron However that mf always injured and Bron is more available (barely) which would make him a bit better And Bron's way more consistent compared to Davis Davis at his Peak > Bron at his peak But Bron > AD in any other situation other then defense ofc@@wallstreetzoomer

[@micsunday14]

Goat level defense doesn't equal top 5 player in league ATM. Goat level defense = goat

[@eyeconqueror1185]

Honestly the best player in the league…sometimes. Lakers need a real coach….

[@Jeff_2x]

AD this season is averaging 23 and 13 on great efficiency and has played most of not all games this Season. He could be more consistent for sure but it’s a little bit overblown IMO. The media destroyed people’s perception on AD. They think he’s more injury prone then Kawhi and PG when he’s played more games then them and think he’s extremely inconsistent when he’s been playing wry well this season.

[@Slapshot544]

Facts. I cant believe theres Laker fans who want this guy traded

[@JA-jo7bl]

23 and 13 and a top 3 defender in basketball. that's frightening. people want the elite defense and 30 a night. not going to happen. 20-25 points and 10 boards a night with his defensive capabilities is more than fine for me

[@CrazyxEnigma]

​@@Slapshot544Our fanbase by virtue of being the largest consequently has the largest amount of morons. AD should never be traded as long as he wants to be here. Seeing all the hate against him reminds me of when our fanbase went after Pau and to this day it bugs me how his last few years with us went down, massively done dirty.

[@justincarreras7753]

⁠​⁠@@CrazyxEnigmaWe have the dumbest fan base by far. They overreact to EVERY GAME and most of them lack critical thinking and any ability to analyze what they’re seeing.

[@wallstreetzoomer]

@@CrazyxEnigmathe fanbase today are LeBron nuthuggers not lakers fans

[@renzocabarco472]

AD is lowkey such a playoff riser but its hilarious because his playoff performances are what we expected of him to consistently do 7 years ago lol. He's definitely a big game player but you're also not surprised when it doesn't work for him it's weird

[@wibblemu9]

He occupies such a weird space in my mind. I can forget about him. Then all of a sudden he's the best player in the league for a while

[@henryzhao4622]

AD and Kawhi peak is top 5 of the decade

[@shorewall]

Schrodinger's Peak.

[@benjaminan1183]

Eh AD's fringe imo. 1. 2022 Giannis 2. 20 LeBron 3. 23 Jokić/KD 5. Kawhi

[@bestibomber]

lebron, jokic, curry, kd, kawhi .... then AD?

[@benjaminan1183]

2021 for the Kawhi and KD seasons.

[@sar4806]

Lmao nephew take

[@somaliguy123]

AD in 2019-20 was great for the regular and post season. Think we have to look at that as his last truly healthy season and pre all the nagging injuries. That is one of the more dominant seasons in totality by a player the last 10 years and I dont think he gets enough credit for it.

[@tgonnabfamous13]

Love this breakdown and this guys voice. Great job guys!

[@themightyruler1319]

Every time he actually gets the ball to shoot 20+ times, the Lakers are a completely different team. He might be the most talented player ever, at age 21 he was posting a 30+ PER, he's in the same convo as Kareem, Wilt, and Shaq in that regard. Very young players who dominated the league at an extremely young age. The media narratives surrounding him make him severely underrated, he is the best defender in basketball while being the best rebounder at the same time. He's also capable of being the most dominant scorer on the floor most nights, but he's in a weird position where Bron is still shooting more times per game than him, even though he's almost 39 years old. He is content dropping 23ppg a night, but he could easily be scoring close to 30 which we saw flashes of last season, when he dropped that 55pt 17reb game versus the Wizards. He should be criticized for his inconsistency, but viewers don't realize he is carrying the defense every night. He can't have great offensive games if Rui is missing assignments, Lebron not boxing out, Reaves getting blown by, and Wood literally being a street cone. Not to mention DLO only plays with serious effort once a week. Now that Vando is back AD is starting to show his offense more.

[@dariuslukacs4128]

He is very good but also inconsistent... there are nights when is 4/11 with 6 boards în 37 min. Who's fault is that?

[@themightyruler1319]

@@dariuslukacs4128 His fault + Coaching staff The coaches have to put him in position to succeed, Ham is a very questionable coach and rarely runs plays for AD. AD should demand the ball but that’s not in everyone’s personality, he prefers to stay laid back even when guys like DLO and Reaves are inexplicably taking more shots than he is in multiple losses.

[@alexanderteague169]

Love this channel it’s been one my favorites since I started watching

[@hannibalbarca4430]

Would love to see Kevin McHale and his torture chamber covered on the offensive peaks series. He is a seriously underrated post scorer all time

[@thegreatkeljb]

In '19 and '20, AD was one the pace of being the best player. Some even dubbed him as the better Giannis. He was bugged down by injuries after that. His offense was not as good when he returned but is still a defensive beast. AD is way up there when healthy. If he stays healthy this year, and the next season, he'd have one of the most dominant season ever.

[@paquinraino8180]

Him being dubbed as the better Giannis when he is basically older than Giannis, and had MVP level LeBron around him, is more a case of people not watching closely what Giannis was doing on 31 minutes per game that season with Bledsoe as his PG ( not LeBron)

[@noblue72]

I think of it as AD is the best small ball big in the league and maybe of all time. If you match his size or play smaller in the middle, he eats a team alive offensively and defensively and on the boards. JJJ, Myles Turner, etc of the world? They have no chance. AD is either bigger overall or the same size/weight + bigger wingspan and better hand eye coordination. Against the bigger centers, he comes down to earth. There's probably also the health factor in that he's beat up a lot and plays through a lot of the smaller injuries so he's not close to peak conditioning and form for big stretches of seasons.

[@belijah6089]

AD is like Superman if he wore a Kryptonite suit

[@user-mo2pf4js3t]

Anthony Davis game is on another Level this guy has really impressed his ability to play the game BIG Man is unstoppable, Sault!!!

[@TradingCardsVN]

The fact is AD is a real MVP-calibre player. Hardly do we see any other players of his same size are gifted with versatility and dominance on both ends of the floor. Aside from some day-to-davis spells, he’s a real formidable matchup agaisnt the likes of Giannis, Embiid, even Jokic. And his MVP calibre was undisputedly proven through his top 3 MVP nominees szn at Pels, and the 2020 bubble chips also greatly flattered his capability since. But I guess due to fans’ lofty expectations on him since his previous accolades and disruptive media, people are misled with the deserved perception on himself. Anw, AD is AD, real beast, and gonna be the Lakers franchise after Lebron retired

[@cobs9420]

I dont think AD has low motor i think its by product of not having a rhythm when he gets less touches. When theres a PG that constantly feeding him the ball he will cook. See how DLo impacts his game. Even tho Laker fans probably hate DLO but thats just his nature. What helds him back is his injuries it disrupts any players rhythm. He is a rhythm player

[@Thicc4080]

AD is bill russell on defense and wilt on offense in neutral court environments

[@henryzhao4622]

LMFAO true bro only shows up when there’s no crowd favorites

[@joskaizer9521]

wow anthony davis is not wilt he barely spams post fades

[@sendAJtospace]

There was definitely a lot of Lakers bias in Vegas.

[@jacquesl9972]

@@henryzhao4622 "Crowd favorites" AD put up 28/15 and elite defense against the KD Warriors. What are you talking about

[@michlo3393]

In 2020 the Lakers had depth in the post that helped AD a lot. The last couple of seasons, he's been the only big and LA relying on him to dominate defensively and score at an Allstar clip has been hard for him to do consistently. When they had guys like McGee and Dwight to take some of the defensive pressure off of AD, he was able to flourish. We saw this last season, he was so dominant defensively but offensively he wasn't very consistent. IMO that's fine because AD was always a top defender and rebounder first and scorer second since his days at Kentucky. I think people forget that, and if you want him to be elite defensively, unfortunately, that will sap some of his offensive capability. Sadly he's not Wilt Chamberlain who could eat a 30 oz steak, bang a couple of broads, drink all night, and still give you 40 pts, 30 rebounds, and LOCK DOWN the interior for 80 straight games. But, AD is still damn good.

[@injusticeanywherethreatens4810]

Ya . The same Wilt who kept on getting his ass handed to him the playoffs hahahaha!

[@michlo3393]

@@injusticeanywherethreatens4810 Awww child, it's called education. Go get one.

[@ajsellitto8]

Could you talk about the Celtics defense I think what they’re doing is great and Al horford really impressed me defensively at his age

[@nelsonmandela3150]

Longshot I guess but a JJ Redick-Ben collab would be so dope, the two put out the best Basket-ball content imo by far, analysis deep dives is what the real fans of the game want dammit (aside the Inside the Nba funfest of course).

[@gregorysilas6329]

AD is a matchup player. When he’s up against someone he has a physical advantage over, like a lot of size or speed, he dominates.

[@AidenBF56]

When the jumper is consistent, and his body is willing to cooperate, he is easily one of the greatest to lace them up.

[@king_supreme1102]

I just wanna say that the Pacers allow good big men to do this all the time. This wasn’t AD elevating his game (at least on offense, his D was great), this was normal AD with 0 resistance.

[@itzwakk335]

and?

[@anubis4032]

I thought turner was supposed to be a dpoy ?

[@king_supreme1102]

@@anubis4032 hell no

[@king_supreme1102]

@@itzwakk335 And… everyone is acting like AD elevated his game to a new level. I’m saying that it’s not true in this case.

[@itzwakk335]

which is fine because he's already elite, he's been hurt and he's returning to form so I agree with you@@king_supreme1102

[@spideysense1847]

I dont know much about basketball, but i always figured part of his struggles may be due to the fact AD is often asked to play a position he has vocally said multiple times he does not enjoy playing. Perhaps if LAnhad a true center and AD was able to play his actual position, we would see more consistency out of him. Right now he's showing up to work and he's being asked to do someone else's job, and frankly no one enjoys that. And basketball is at its best when the players are having fun

[@Big_CP3]

When AD retires he Will literally be in the Top 5 Defenders of All-Time dude is a Generational talent and his defense is some of the best Very FEW players can do wat he does

[@TheRobins1m]

So happy you made this video. I made this comment on another video the other day: “AD is a conundrum. He can be unstoppable but also seems to sleepwalk through many games.” And I got so many snarky replies.

[@infinitymixtapes9562]

I don't understand why the Lakers don't just put him at power forward with a serviceable center in the lineup. Is it a spacing issue? Is he historically better as a small ball five? He clearly doesn't want to be a center physically or mentally so what's the deal?

[@CrazyxEnigma]

There's not anybody like that we can get for cheap, if we could we'd have them already. The perfect fit would've been Brook Lopez but Magic let him walk without offering him a contract and he was even willing to take a discount to stay here.

[@TheMonjok24]

cause lakers cant shoot. it would have to be a stretch 5 but most of that type arent good defenders. brook lopez was mentioned & thats where the list ends. much cheaper to play davis at 5 & stick a 3&D wing in there.

[@JA-jo7bl]

there aren't 20 guys that peaked higher than AD in the history of basketball

[@YeeSoest]

AD was built for 2K online games. No injury history, just zeros and ones

[@chickenoil8663]

Well this is weird. Been listening to you, reading your stuff, watching your vids but this is the first time i’ve seen your face.

[@0608jeff]

the only thing the AD is missing for the playoffs is a heavily built bruiser center to help him match up with the likes of Jokic and Embiid, in a way similar to Dwight Howard and Javale McGee in the bubble.

[@ChibiMalzahar]

Unfortunately without a better jumper that's really hard to come by now since he'd have to be a stretch 5. So it's like what, brook lopez?

[@0608jeff]

@@ChibiMalzahar yeah Lopez might be the best available option but he's not leaving the Bucks anytime soon. Horford is actually pretty good in this regard and has a lower center of gravity that helps him deal with big centers too but he's like 37 and will probably retire a Celtic. Wendell Carter jr has the potential to be a Horford 2.0 and it would be a miracle if the Lakers pull off a good trade to get him. Can't really think of any other big who can play defense against strength AND stretch the floor....maaaaybe Draymond when his shots are going in and I think he's a Warrior for life

[@matteo4413]

Offensively, AD is so inconsistent but I don't see a reason why he can't always DOMINATE on defense. His defensive versatility is unbelievable.

[@THEGM1234]

AD is like Michael B Jordan in 2k17. One game he drops 40. And in the other, he drops 12

[@KingDavis93]

Anthony Davis has the chance to be this years DPOTY an honestly he deserved this award 2 or three times due to his longevity in his 12th an current season this year. If Kobe was still here he would be proud of how a dominant player you really are. An I’m not just saying that because my last name is Davis. Amazing defense wins Championships too not just amazing Offense. Remember that AD haters.

[@d4nnylaflame896]

He should have won it last year and he DEFINITELY should have won it in 2018 when he led the league in blocks. I also want to mention he’s led the league in blocks 3 times and the fact he’s never won a DPOY is highway robbery.

[@camctrail]

IMO we really saw peak AD for a 27 game stretch from Feb 10-Apr 11 2018 20-7 31.0 PPG (1st) 12.1 RPG (6th) 2.1 APG 2.1 SPG (2nd) 3.4 BPG (1st) 53 FG% 34 3PT% 84 FT% You could also say peak AD made an appearance 2 more times: the 2020 playoffs where AD averaged 28-10-4 on 57-38-83 splits, and for about a month in November 2022 where he averaged 32-14-3-2 on 64 FG%

[@riskyprapanca6919]

Lakers lack of real shooter/s, because of their traditional playstyle they need to play safe when it comes to matchup, i guess they will keep winning on worse team to get minimum requirement for playoff to keep their key squad healthy as long as possible

[@Fragment_of_Light]

"All-time peak?, sometimes" lol true

[@simohammedsek]

I feel like la needs that one player but i don't know who

[@dendiRTZ-xg5wb]

When AD first arrived at LA, Rondo gave him high praise.

[@MrQuizno99]

2018 and 2020 definitely are all time great seasons for different reasons…

[@DuyQL]

If this year proves to be a success, without any major injuries, I do believe he was a failed “test” to say. Keeping him as his natural weight while playing the 5 has been a blessing. He was too fragile to bulk up in his previous seasons which somewhat explained his injury-prone self. *knock on wood* This might be the year he takes back that Top 5 status from the league. We all know what he’s fully capable of. And now with the 3 balls falling.“You’s in troubles”.

[@youngerudit2524]

7:16 YUUUPP which is why i'm always annpoyed when people say "jokic swept the lakers" no no no, ammal was the best player in that series. they dealt with him pretty good actually.

[@KacciVAL]

Murray was unstoppable

[@user-kd7we9lm1b]

Haven't been this early since I was born

[@Mr_C137]

What a great title

[@nbapbaupdate8338]

Anthony Davis need stay healthy this season for get another championship 🏆

[@youngerudit2524]

when Ad is going for the kill hes top 5 in the league. his impact on defense is mostly always there,when he ges for the kill on both ends,good luck

[@nicford1486]

AD has some Bill Russell Defensive affect

[@donaldf9055]

Rudy gobert is one of the most underrated players and defenders oat. I can guarantee that if he had his skill in a diff time frame (like in the 90s) he would be looked at as one of the better or even best players of that era. His iq mixed in with his rebounding and all time shot blocking skills are so underrated its not even funny.

[@TheMonjok24]

ehh. he's this era's mutombo/eaton/camby. nobody gaf.

[@donaldf9055]

@@TheMonjok24 and that's why he's underrated.

[@methconnoisseur3803]

AD is underrated

[@itzwakk335]

facts

[@isaactesfaye9760]

Still waiting on the Derrick White video…advanced stats say he’s a top 20 it’s a tragedy you’ve never broken him down

[@josephtamarez2105]

I don't think AD is the greatest lob finisher in NBA history: I'd actually give that title to Lebron! You can throw it anywhere and he'll catch it: see J.R. Smith throwing a no-look behind the back lob on the playoffs, or Miami Bron literally jumping over a Bulls player to catch a lob. Love AD though, and great video as always.

[@CrazyxEnigma]

One of the problems with his offensive inconsistency is he's like big men of the past and is reliant on getting fed the ball by his teammates. Multiple times this season he dominates the first half on pace for 30 or 40+ and takes single digit shot attempts in the second half which is unacceptable. Say what you will about D'Lo but only him and LeBron are capable of giving him the ball on a consistent basis. Edit: I nearly had an aneurysm when we almost blew a 20 point lead to the Spurs and gave up 42 points in the 4th... Ham can be really infuriating with his lack of adjustments.

[@admincabrn]

i feel like he had the potential to be top 5 in the history off the NBA but injuries killed his momentum

[@xeon0998]

Some of the best defense you've ever seen.....😏

[@princekt12]

I swear I saw this video yesterday haha

[@lenarnabiev6809]

Now discuss his performance vs Wemby

[@jimbojimbo6873]

Healthy AD was unstoppable Like Paul George in his mvp year

[@Jeff_2x]

I truly believe at his best AD is truly a Top 5 player in the game of basketball

[@riccardoferrazzo8283]

Peak AD is at the same level of peak Giannis or peak LeBron or peak Jokic in terms of impact on the game.

[@pedrogiraldo4367]

he is levels above defensively than all those players, but a step or two below offensively

[@ms3862]

It's worth noting that Peak AD in NOLA couldn't beat Peak LeBron at the Cavaliers. The Cavs and LeBron took them down

[@YeeSoest]

LeBron had great times on teams full of scrubs. Then he had auccess with teams that had some stars. AD enables both experiences with one roster! ;) when he's on he's LBJ's best teammate ever, if he's off the Lakers become "The Los Angeles .500 dudes" and when he's injured, LeBron can reminisce about Cleveland and try to relive old times of 25 straight 😅

[@GustavoSilva-ny8jc]

0:40 Aaaaaaaggghhhh, this as a short guy hurt SO MUCH. It's everything i wanted to be. Life sucks.

[@ChibiMalzahar]

You don't need to compare yourself to a 6'10 generational pro athlete

[@dinodenodano]

AD is great but does not get called for defensive fouls nowhere near often as some other players. Visible literally almost every game vs a good opponent. Let me give you an idea - IST Finals, 11 min left in Q1, Toppin left baseline drive which put Indi up 5-2. Davis goes vertical and then lowers his right arm bumping Toppin. This gets called every game on literally anyone (now saying this should be called but hey a foul for everyone else should be foul on AD). Why is this important? Because he gets away with a slight moving screen couple minutes later while Turner leaves the game with his 2nd foul mid Q1 for some ridiculous moving screen. Not comparing AD and Turner as Turner has fouling issues in general but this changed the whole game completely.

[@kizvy]

Basically Ad after 2020

[@gan911]

is he the opposite of playoff p?

[@BenEnlet29]

Would you rather have finals MVP Giannis or Prime AD ?

[@localneo-graphic4647]

1:38 Lmaoooo

[@ssj-shadow1184]

So, whats your explanation? Why do you think he can be so inconsistent?

[@jonasbrooks5025]

My guy just said AD is bullet proof.

[@jackirerioa4971]

this is the idealized version of AD in favorable matchups and looking only at his strengths and not at how like... he needs a top3 playmaker and passer ever, only ever did this in a much less pressured enviroment in the bubble, and frequently struggles against elite bigs

[@jacquesl9972]

2018 playoffs? Swept the Blazers and posted up 28/15 against the KD Warriors. "Less pressured environment" lol

[@thomastalented]

Kawhi not hearing that shit.

[@emergencygaming4164]

Part-time All-NBA player.

[@vibangigan5336]

If the season was 48- 56 games mans would be the greatest lol

[@kettlemypedals]

AD is so good on defence he stops himself

[@orhanozkan7358]

AD sometimes remembers he is Anthony Fucking Davis and dominates. But hes super streaky. He is one of the most inconsistent superstars lmaoo

[@timvvs]

If AD didnt spend nearly a decade on the Pels in obscurity and instead started his career in a popular team, nobody would have qualms about his greatness

[@petrektek1385]

Bro is delicate. A player with his height, his wingspan and his muscles shouldn't be stopped by almost anyone.

[@Clinton.A95]

A generational defender for sure

[@Homer-OJ-Simpson]

AD is the most complicated player ever to measure. He goes from okay defense to top all time defense every couple weeks. He goes from bad offense to a top offensive player in the league several times a year. He's the most inconsistent player ever IMO. Before the injuries, I don't know if he was as good as he is at his best on defense since joining the Lakers. But his offense before the injuries was far more consistent probably because he had the agility to get easier baskets and now he has to work harder for it and or shoot jump shots more.

[@TheTH3KILL3Rz]

Other than Giannis this dude is easily the most disruptive player in the game, his interior presence is crazy and he can lock up on the perimeter if needed. All he lacks is consistent motor and that’s a huge problem especially in the playoffs

[@i_fuze_hostages6]

Rudy

[@TheTH3KILL3Rz]

@@i_fuze_hostages6 rudy can’t defend the perimeter as well and isn’t as good in playing passing lanes and doing quick rotations

[@i_fuze_hostages6]

@@TheTH3KILL3Rz Rudy has actually been a good perimeter defender this season so far and he’s looked extremely quick on rotations

[@d4nnylaflame896]

@@i_fuze_hostages6just wait till the playoffs buddy he’ll get properly exposed

[@waltnari]

Do people realize the physical exertion necessary to dominate on both ends of the floor like AD is expected to? Is it realistic to expect someone to exert that level of physical effort for a full regular season and playoff season? AD is probably often exhausted. He’s not resting on the defensive end like Steph Curry. Curry resting on defense allows him to be fresh on offense and continue producing elite level offense at late stages of games and seasons. AD, on the other hand, is the Lakers’ centerpiece on defense and is expected to also provide 30 points and 20 boards. It doesn’t seem realistic to me to expect that from AD.

[@thecentralhour7193]

I think there is nothing crazy happening here….i think that since he has in his head that he is injury prone and he knows his body the best i think he only plays at 110% level only when it matters the most like the most important games i.e; his numbers in the in season or the playoffs are much better than the regular season….he is trying to coast regular season!!

[@JawaPenguin16]

He can be infuriating to watch, but the reason the Lakers have been so patient with him is because in a 7 game series, none of the best bigs in the league would have an easy time against him.

[@paquinraino8180]

Jokic basically dominates him and they had to put Hachimura with AD as a second defender to defend against him

[@JawaPenguin16]

AD also had a series against Jokic in the bubble which can't be invalidated. If anything they're closer to evenly matched than we realize. Not a fan of either team but a series between them healthy would be great for us fans.@@paquinraino8180

[@d4nnylaflame896]

@@paquinraino8180I’d like you to name me one big man or other wise that can guard Jokic 1-1. He’s torn through Gobert (Multiple time DPOY winner) in the playoffs many times.

[@SeniorMeow]

Games played and he'd be DPOY

[@FeltMarvellous]

He’s the greatest defender of all time and the nba are t rewarding him with DPOY

[@koilerREC]

every time he lands I feel like something get injured even its his right ear or something he will miss the next 2 month that's what disappointed me the most. There is no consistency. Somebody had to say it idk. good vid tho

[@phothewin6019]

He's so good when he's good lol. LeBron's most talented teammate even over 2011 Wade imo.

[@thegoodreaper]

AD is like if Kevin Garnett had the mind of Tobias Harris

[@CrazyxEnigma]

Comparing any star in this league to Tobias Harris is an insult to the star.

[@henryzhao4622]

Best peaks of the last ten years is LBJ Kawhi AD Curry

[@epicvicroyepic6725]

Kawhi offense and defensive peaks never lined up, also forgot jokic

[@brendanbloom3366]

Take curry out and put kd.

[@nickfowler547]

Not having Jokic here is absurd lol

[@rowsic159]

@@epicvicroyepic6725He was ballin in 2017. Spurs Kawhi was truly a monster

[@henryzhao4622]

@@epicvicroyepic6725 Jokic ain’t it.

[@federicofregosi8988]

AD is simply the best physically equiped person in the NBA to play basketball. He is also has good instincst and decent knowledge of the game. He just lacks the dawg and the drive to be the best.

[@ChibiMalzahar]

I wouldn't say a guy with injuries across his entire career is the most physically equipped to play lol. Especially with Giannis LeBron and Wemby running around

[@henryviiifake8244]

AD at anything near 100%: MVP‐calibre on _both_ ends of the floor. AD in reality: 😢

[@boimalloy2367]

I really don’t know why so many people feel this way with Davis. When he’s “On” he really isn’t even better than Jokic, Giannis, or Embiid. And when he’s “off” it’s a joke. He’s clearly not near the top 5 players in the league even when he’s playing well.

[@whateverreally1347]

Pretty disappointed by this episode. Not once did they bring up that AD has been by far the most efficient high volume post scorer in the league this year, and only trails Embiid and Jokic in volume. They also straight up lied about the on/off data. The Lakers were substantially better with AD and no LeBron than the opposite in both of their deep playoff runs together. Pretty important distinction based on the point they were trying to make. Completely ignored AD and the Lakers going on a crazy run to make the playoffs last year, mostly without Bron…

[@dariuslukacs4128]

Easiest schedule in the league they had... He is good but not great... if you are a great player I know what i get from you and thet I can count on you 95/100 times. That is not the case with AD.

[@jacquesl9972]

Um no. In 2020, the Lakers were better with Lebron on and AD off than they were with AD on and Lebron off. This was evident throughout the entire 2019-2020 regular season and in the playoffs against the Rockets and Heat. You could argue maybe AD was better over the course of the Nuggets series, but Lebron clearly controlled the offensive tempo of the game and was playing elite defense himself throughout the entire bubble.

[@whateverreally1347]

@@jacquesl9972 bro we have the data. Just check pbpstats, the Lakers were much better with AD on and Bron off than the opposite in the playoffs

[@SoloPerICommenti]

More of a cherry-peak. If you decide to consider only when he has good shooting streaks like in 2020 when he looked like Durant sure. But that's not how it works, if you can't count on that you're only victim of statistical variance