Los Angeles Lakers: Can Anthony Davis really handle the pressure?

Grubb explains why physical players are not as intimidated as they should be of Anthony Davis

David Grubb:

"Why should they be intimidated? He isn’t physical. He isn’t aggressive, and he’s content being LeBron’s little brother. Has it not been a consistent theme this season that once LeBron leaves the floor, the Lakers immediately struggle? They aren’t as good defensively, and you can’t run the offense through him."

Many NBA fans laughed when the Los Angeles Clippers signed Joakim Noah before the NBA shut down back in March. Ah, the context of analytics. Look at the offensive numbers and think that’s the story.

No.

The Clippers signed Noah for his toughness in the low post and his six fouls. He is another big body to wear down AD in a seven-game series. His fouls go along with Montrezl Harrell, Marcus Morris, JaMychal Green and Patrick Patterson. All to wear down Anthony Davis.

Stephen Adams is a big body that would lay wood to Anthony Davis in the past along with other physical young centers that would surprise you. Wendell Carter of the Chicago Bulls and Deandre Ayton of the Phoenix Suns.

Let’s talk about a player that gives AD fits and will be a potential opponent soon. P.J. Tucker of the Houston Rockets. The Rockets have beaten the Lakers twice with the small-ball lineup.

Now it doesn’t matter if Anthony Davis wants to play the center position or not. The Lakers can’t beat the Houston Rockets if he’s not committed. David Grubb knows it, Lake Show Life is figuring it out but what’s worse, P.J. Tucker, Mike D’Antoni, James Harden and Russell Westbrook know it.

It really doesn’t matter who plays the 5 spot because the small ball offense pulls Davis, Dwight Howard or JaVale McGee out of the paint. That player that is giving the Lakers fits is P.J. Tucker, who they plant in the corner while James Harden and Russell Westbrook break for the basket. With the perimeter defense struggling, the pick and roll defense suffers.

https://twitter.com/HoustonRockets/status/1291571850389192704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1291571850389192704%7Ctwgr%5E&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Flakeshowlife.com%2F2020%2F08%2F07%2Flos-angeles-lakers-offensive-peril-rockets%2F

• The Houston Rockets will have Tucker in the corner to stretch the defense. He will be in the lower right corner.
• The defense is stretched out because everyone is at the 3 point line with James Harden at the top. Russell Westbrook will be there as well.
• Jeff Green receives the pocket pass at the top of the key and drives to the basket.
• Davis is caught in no man’s land because he has to honor his man P.J. Tucker in the corner. 
• That half-second of indecision makes him late for the rotation and Green gets the dunk.

The narrative that the casual fan tries to pass is who’s going to guard AD in the post? No one because the physical play of Tucker got under AD’s skin and helped render him a nonfactor after the first quarter.

In the playoffs, especially with the shooting M.I.A., physicality will be a constant for Davis. It will start next round of the Lakers play the Rockets because Tucker constantly bangs him and roughs him up. In this game, Davis and Tucker had some words during the game.

While the Lakers shooters struggle, Anthony Davis will face double teams. Unfortunately AD has problems with being double-teamed. Keep reading to see why!