Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers has set some lofty goals on the defensive end of the court for not only himself, but also LeBron James.
As we get closer to the start of the season for the Los Angeles Lakers, there are some high expectations for the team. With a lot of new faces, this Lakers team looks far better on paper than last year.
The addition of a second superstar in Anthony Davis should make the Lakers not only a better offensive team, but a better defensive one as well. Davis is one of the best two-way players in the NBA, as he can score 30 points a night and also protect the rim with the best of them.
For the Lakers, adding a defensive force like Davis will be a welcomed sight after a poor showing on that side of the court in the second half of last season. While the Lakers certainly took some strides on the defensive end under Luke Walton, they weren’t always consistent on that end of the court.
Davis wants the Lakers to be one of the best defensive teams in the league, and he is ready to hold his teammates accountable. Here’s what Davis said to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.
"I want to hold myself, teammates, including LeBron, accountable in order for us to take on the challenge of being the best we can defensively. In doing so, we’ll have a good chance of winning every night. I want to make sure me and LeBron are on the All-Defensive Team."
Davis including LeBron in his goal of making the All-Defensive Team is certainly noteworthy. For the last few seasons, we haven’t seen LeBron all that interested on the defensive end of the court.
Since James carries such a heavy burden on offense, his energy on the defensive end on a nightly basis hasn’t always been high. However, with another offensive star in Davis, James shouldn’t have to carry as heavy of a load on the offensive end. This should give him some more energy to use on the defensive end.
With the Western Conference being tough night in and night out, having James more engaged on the defensive end will help the Lakers in the regular season. Come playoff time, James will of course be highly locked in.
Even though Davis just arrived, it is nice to see him taking on somewhat of a leadership role. Not too many players would have mentioned or challenged LeBron to do something on the basketball court, but Davis has the talent to back it up.