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Why the Lakers will lose to Phoenix if Anthony Davis is not 100%

By Jason Reed

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 30: Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers grabs his thigh after falling during the first half of Game Four of the Western Conference first-round playoff series against the Phoenix Suns at Staples Center on May 30, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 30: Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers grabs his thigh after falling during the first half of Game Four of the Western Conference first-round playoff series against the Phoenix Suns at Staples Center on May 30, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports – Los Angeles Lakers
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports – Los Angeles Lakers /

1. Anthony Davis is the reason why the Los Angeles Lakers won two games to begin with

Without Anthony Davis, you could make the case that the Los Angeles Lakers would have been swept in this series. That might seem like an exaggeration, but when we look at the roster and the results one thing is clear: when Davis is good the Lakers are good.

Just look at the results in the four games. Davis played very poorly in Game 1 and the Lakers lost by nine. If he had his normal showing the team probably would have won by double figures. Then in Games 2 and 3 he put together 30/10 games and led the Lakers to victory. He got hurt in Game 4 and that is when the wheels started to fall off.

There are multiple reasons for this. First is that Davis has such a matchup advantage against the Suns, naturally making him the most impactful player on the team. While Deandre Ayton has been great in this series, Davis has benefitted from this matchup.

The second reason why Davis is so important is that the role players have been inconsistent. Dennis Schroder has had one great game and that is it, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has been bad and it is really hard to fully believe in the rest of the role players, at least offensively.

Finally, LeBron James is very obviously trying to take things easy and save his energy for late-game situations when it matters. That high ankle sprain is likely still taking some sort of toll on LeBron and with Davis he had the luxury of essentially taking a half off.

That luxury is not there and can a 36-year-old LeBron do what he did in his second Cleveland stint post-Kyrie? Probably not.

The Suns are a good basketball team and Davis is the Lakers’ most important weapon against this good basketball team. It does not help that things seem to be going in the right direction for Phoenix as well.

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