Lesson #1: The Los Angeles Lakers need a more aggressive Anthony Davis
Anthony Davis can do everything for the Lakers similar to how Giannis Antetokounmpo does for Milwaukee. The only difference is AD has consistently knocked down three-pointers, whereas Giannis struggles with making shots from outside of 10 feet.
Let me touch on another hotly-debated topic: it really does not matter if AD plays power forward or center. Milwaukee played Giannis at both positions depending on the opponent. He dominated no matter what position he played.
Moreover, the Lakers’ poor three-point shooting mark over the past two seasons should not be an excuse for AD either. Shaq still dominated in the post even though the Lakers consistently ranked near the bottom in three-point percentage in each of their three seasons as NBA Champions.
In the bubble, AD played either power forward or center depending on the matchup. I think Coach Vogel will play him more at center next season (at Magic Johnson’s urging). But playing AD at center doesn’t guarantee he will average 30 points and 15 rebounds.
In theory, Anthony Davis could be the best player in the league. He is the NBA’s most talented player and has LeBron James passing him the ball.
So why is Anthony Davis not dominating his opponents?
In the bubble, nobody could stop AD whether he played power forward or center. This highlight montage is a reminder of how dominant AD can be when he sets his mind to it.
The keyword for Anthony Davis is mindset. Giannis Antetokounmpo has the mindset to dominate his opponents in the NBA Finals.
At the end of the day, Anthony Davis needs to adopt the same mindset if the Lakers are to have another championship season.