Los Angeles Lakers: Why Anthony Davis is more important than LeBron

2. Anthony Davis opens things up for the Los Angeles Lakers’ offense

LeBron James is sensational with the basketball, there is no denying that. He is someone who is going to score 30 points a game nearly every game in the playoffs while also facilitating the basketball like a point guard. The offense goes through LeBron, no question.

However, we have seen in the past that LeBron can be limited with the right defenders. Patrick Beverley is someone who has had success against LeBron and Lance Stephenson was able to make his life much harder back when he played for the Indiana Pacers.

It is those pesky on-ball defenders that can slow LeBron down. Those kind of players are not going to have the same success on Anthony Davis.

Having AD opens up so many other things for LeBron as well. Not only do LeBron and AD have the coveted pick and roll that is hard to stop but Davis is also elite in the post and draws attention near the rim.

This naturally spaces the floor for the Lakers and can get more room for the shooters as opposing teams look for rotation opportunities to get a quick double-team strip off of Davis in the post. Teams have to commit to Davis on the inside.

Remove Davis out of the lineup and you have LeBron facilitating to a bunch of shooters, that it is. We would start seeing insane box scores from LeBron, but it would look like the late Cavalier days.

Take LeBron out and things would undoubtedly be difficult, but the team could still feed Davis in the post and have a guard, like Rajon Rondo, facilitate.

Obviously, the Lakers would not be very successful without either man in the lineup.