Is Anthony Davis the best player in basketball?

[The Rodzilla]

anthony davis is the best player in basketball. just look at the playoffs stats and impact.

I think thats a bit overboard; i'm not sure he's the best player in this series, but the competition is not on his team. He's clearly the best player on the Lakers...i wonder where he ended up in the MVP voting, and why.

media-driven narratives and the fact that the media has been pro-lebron for nearly the last decade could be why.

lebron without davis last year - missed the playoffs.

lebron with davis this year - going to the finals.

pretty clear to me.

what about when lebron went to the finals 9 times without AD

[dribble1614]

I think thats a bit overboard; i'm not sure he's the best player in this series, but the competition is not on his team. He's clearly the best player on the Lakers...i wonder where he ended up in the MVP voting, and why.

media-driven narratives and the fact that the media has been pro-lebron for nearly the last decade could be why.

lebron without davis last year - missed the playoffs.

lebron with davis this year - going to the finals.

pretty clear to me.

what about when lebron went to the finals 9 times without AD

durant could've done the exact same in the incredibly weak east that lebron played in for the past decade.

[gorz]

I think thats a bit overboard; i'm not sure he's the best player in this series, but the competition is not on his team. He's clearly the best player on the Lakers...i wonder where he ended up in the MVP voting, and why.

media-driven narratives and the fact that the media has been pro-lebron for nearly the last decade could be why.

lebron without davis last year - missed the playoffs.

lebron with davis this year - going to the finals.

pretty clear to me.

what about when lebron went to the finals 9 times without AD

He also played in the eastern conference and on a stacked heat team. Regardless, lebron is still a great player and top 5 player in NBA history.

[Pythagoras]

He’s not the best player in basketball. But he’s close. Top 4-7 player. Just can’t be the alpha dog. Needs sickick.

Also for those who think he’s a center or can play center. AD can’t guard real centers. I’ve been saying this for a long time. [b]And he’s not that good of an on ball defender.[/b] His real strength on defense is help defense.

Look at Jokic drive and muscle AD on Denver last possession. That’s why AD doesn’t like guarding real centers.

He’s great offensive player though. No critique from me.

He guarded Westbrook 1 on 1 for a series.

which allowed him to simply be a help defender the whole time

He also guarded Nurkic in the first round

[letskissbro]

Every year Jordan jockers pick a player to prop up as better than LeBron that they know is good enough to stop him from winning another ring but isn't good enough to pass MJ themselves. Over the years they've jumped from Kobe to KD to Curry to KD again and this year they were all Clippers fans. After living vicariously through Kawhi the last year only for him to collapse in the postseason I was wondering who they'd move on to. Looks like they got their guy and it's LeBron's own teammate Too bad he'll be helping LeGOAT get his hardware instead of roadblocking him

[grindtime22]

He guarded Westbrook 1 on 1 for a series.

which allowed him to simply be a help defender the whole time

He also guarded Nurkic in the first round

That was dig at Westbrook from me, not Davis. "Guarding" Westbrook allowed him to be a permanent help defender.

[dribble1614]

Every year Jordan jockers pick a player to prop up as better than LeBron that they know is good enough to stop him from winning another ring but isn't good enough to pass MJ themselves. Over the last few years they've jumped from KD to Curry to KD again and this year they were all Clippers fans. After living vicariously through Kawhi the last year only for him to collapse in the postseason I was wondering who they'd move on to. Looks like they got their guy and it's LeBron's own teammate Too bad he'll be helping the GOAT get his hardware instead of roadblocking him

lebron isn't even close to being the goat. he's being carried by his own teammate!! pathetic!

[Up-And-Coming]

I think so far in these playoffs, he's jumped from 7th best player in the NBA to top 4 player (jumping Harden, Steph and possibly Giannis)

[Michael Lucky]

I think so far in these playoffs, he's jumped from 7th best player in the NBA to top 4 player (jumping Harden, Steph and possibly Giannis)

He has been the best player in the playoffs.

[elchengue20]

Anthony Davis isn't meaningfully different this year than he has been in previous years. He's always been an excellent player.

But we know he really cannot carry a successful team. Those Pelican teams he had weren't exactly terrible from a talent standpoint but they never made much noise. If Anthony Davis is - by far - your best player how far can you realistically go? And I think that makes him different to Giannis or Kawhi or even LeBron.

It is nice to see him getting a little more respect now he is in a higher profile market and on a winning team.

Yep, He always was one of the most talented players in the NBA, but never made much noise even with some decent teamates. He doesn't have the intangiles to be a sucessfull leader. Him playing with Lebron is perfect personality and playstyle wise. AD is like the best 2nd option to ever play the game. He is a legit top 5 talent.

[syntax]

which allowed him to simply be a help defender the whole time

He also guarded Nurkic in the first round

That was dig at Westbrook from me, not Davis. "Guarding" Westbrook allowed him to be a permanent help defender.

So he's guarding one of the best driving guards on the perimeter 1 on 1 and being an elite rim protector / help defender at the same time. Is that your point?

[ClubLakers KB8]

[AD is like the best 2nd option to ever play the game. He is a legit top 5 talent.

Um...

[grindtime22]

He also guarded Nurkic in the first round

That was dig at Westbrook from me, not Davis. "Guarding" Westbrook allowed him to be a permanent help defender.

So he's guarding one of the best driving guards on the perimeter 1 on 1 and being an elite rim protector / help defender at the same time. Is that your point?

He did a great job on him, no denying that. It bogged everything down for Houston. We saw a bunch of teams use their center to guard Westbrook, but Davis is probably the most well equipped in NBA to do it.

My point is that he didn't have to go to the perimeter to guard him. He basically got to hang out in the paint and wait for Westbrook to come to him. In a way, Davis largely played help type defense on his own man.

[syntax]

That was dig at Westbrook from me, not Davis. "Guarding" Westbrook allowed him to be a permanent help defender.

So he's guarding one of the best driving guards on the perimeter 1 on 1 and being an elite rim protector / help defender at the same time. Is that your point?

He did a great job on him, no denying that. It bogged everything down for Houston. We saw a bunch of teams use their center to guard Westbrook, but Davis is probably the most well equipped in NBA to do it.

My point is that he didn't have to go to the perimeter to guard him. He basically got to hang out in the paint and wait for Westbrook to come to him. In a way, Davis largely played help type defense on his own man.

I think you need to watch the games.

[elchengue20]

[AD is like the best 2nd option to ever play the game. He is a legit top 5 talent.

Um...

That happens when you play with the best player in the world for the last 10 years and arguagbly the best of all time.

Don't get it twisted, Lebron is still as important or even more than Davis for the Lakers. I understand tough that you can look it the other way around, hes been phenomenal and playing at legendary level. But Lebron is still Lebron. Everything on that team starts with him. This duo really is on Magic/Kareem, Kobe/Shaq level.

If Lebron was in his prime they would be nearly unbeatable. AD is by far the best teamate he ever had, plus he is a great fit personality and playstyle wise.

[Kobe187]

AD may very well be the best player in the NBA currently, he’s definitely making a case.

1st tier Superstar: AD, Giannis, KD, Kawhi, Luka.

2nd tier Superstar: Harden, Curry, LeBron, Jokic.

Giannis, Lebron, Kawhi, Harden stock fell these playoffs.

AD, Luka, Jokic, Butler stock increased these playoffs.

Going off these playoffs AD has been the best and is playing exceptionally well.

[The Rodzilla]

media-driven narratives and the fact that the media has been pro-lebron for nearly the last decade could be why.

lebron without davis last year - missed the playoffs.

lebron with davis this year - going to the finals.

pretty clear to me.

what about when lebron went to the finals 9 times without AD

durant could've done the exact same in the incredibly weak east that lebron played in for the past decade.

giannis the 2 time mvp cant

[KyRo23]

anthony davis is the best player in basketball. just look at the playoffs stats and impact.

I think thats a bit overboard; i'm not sure he's the best player in this series, but the competition is not on his team. He's clearly the best player on the Lakers...i wonder where he ended up in the MVP voting, and why.

media-driven narratives and the fact that the media has been pro-lebron for nearly the last decade could be why.

lebron without davis last year - missed the playoffs.

lebron with davis this year - going to the finals.

pretty clear to me.

This could be the most idiotic thing I have read in quite some time. I'm embarrassed for you for not seeing the irony.

Do you realize the Pelicans had a worse record than the Lakers last year?

Davis without LeBron last year - missed the playoffs.

David with LeBron this year - going to the finals.

Pretty clear to me!

[NoZoLakers]

nope, if Den was smart they'd double him more often

[Optms]

I don't know about being the best but he sure as hell better than Jokic ever can be.