A significant factor in the Los Angeles Lakers’ success in their 117-112 victory over the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 was the play of NBA superstar Anthony Davis. He finished with a staggering 30 points, 23 rebounds, five assists, and four blocks.
“You can go through tape, and you can talk about strategy, but you have to feel the game and the personnel,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “AD had a great game. Obviously, he dominated. He blocked four shots and altered some others.”
When Davis as at the peak of his powers as he was in this performance, he shows a rare combination of attributes for a big men. He’s a tenacious paint protector that rebounds at an elite level with high level interior play finishing, coupled with an ability to step out and make a defense pay for leaving a cushion in short/mid-range with his jumper.
“He’s a great player, great rim protector and his shot was going tonight,” Warriors forward Draymond Green said.
NBA NEWS & PLAYOFFS: Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers & Golden State Warriors Updates
The Warriors used an impressive 14-0 run to tie the game 112-112 with under two minutes remaining. They were held scoreless over the final 1:08 of regulation with Davis’ defensive impact being felt by Golden State’s offense.
“A lot of it is Anthony Davis,” Warriors forward Klay Thompson said.
Davis’ interior presence enables the Lakers to be more aggressive on the perimeter using strategies like top-locking against shooters. With Davis in the paint, the defender can make it more challenging for a pass while being comfortable with conceding space on a cut, knowing that Davis can rotate over and blow up the play.
“They know they want to take away our 3s, even though we got 50 (53, actually) of them up,” Curry said. “They want to try to put pressure on the perimeter, funnel everything into the paint and allow (Davis) to disrupt a lot, and closing space pretty quick.
“It’s kind of deceiving. You feel like you have a good look to get over the top and he gets a fingertip on it. You’ve got to respect it. That’s how he makes an impact on that end of the floor.”
NBA NEWS & PLAYOFFS: Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers & Golden State Warriors Updates
The Warriors know they have to be strategic with how they are attacking the paint. While generating rim pressure remains an essential element of their offense, there is a firm grasp that it must involve a creative approach.
“You can’t be stubborn thinking you can just keep going in there,”Warriors superstar Steph Curry said. “You’ve still got to be able to drive and put pressure on the rim, but you can do it in a creative way.”
NBA NEWS & PLAYOFFS: Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers & Golden State Warriors Updates
While Davis’ impact is the foundation of the Lakers’ defense, the overall execution the unit has achieved with midseason additions like Jarred Vanderbilt has made them a tough challenge for the Warriors to account for in the series.
“That’s what this team has been doing now for the last few months,” Kerr said. “They have been one of the best defensive teams in the league for a reason and (Davis) is a huge part of that.
“He had a great game. And we’ll watch the tape and we’ll see where we can find better ways to attack.”
Unlike their first-round matchup against the Sacramento Kings, the Lakers pose some real matchup problems for the Warriors that make accounting for Davis challenging. Can they afford to give up size by going small with Green at the five? Can they afford to play two non-shooters in order to keep size on the court? Those are just two examples of what Golden State faces.
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