Los Angeles Lakers superstar Anthony Davis is considered one of the favorites to win the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award this season.
Davis has bought into the hype. He recently made his case for winning the award from within the NBA’s bubble in Orlando, Fla.
Anthony Davis was asked what his argument would be to win Defensive Player of the Year.
"My biggest impact that I think I have is I love playing defense. I love stopping other players and making it tough on other players. I think that's my case in a nutshell."
— Matthew Moreno (@Matthew__Moreno) July 21, 2020
The reasons why Davis should win the award go far beyond his love of dominating on the defensive end.
This season, Davis is averaging 9.4 rebounds, 2.4 blocks and 1.5 steals per game. On top of that, he’s also averaging 26.7 points and 3.1 assists per game on the offensive side of the floor.
His impact is clear enough on the stat sheet, but on the court, it is even more crystallized. Throughout his first season with the Lakers, Davis has used his 6-foot-10 frame and elite athleticism to defend opposing players all across the defensive side of the floor.
He has also made his Lakers co-star LeBron James’ life much easier.
James, 35, has gotten a major boost from not having to be a defensive anchor for the Lakers, which has translated into the three-time champ putting in an MVP-caliber season.
While Davis would surely love to win the Defensive Player of the Year award this season, his true sights are set on loftier ends.
Davis and the Lakers are fully determined to win an NBA title this season. He’ll surely use his defensive brilliance to try to help his team accomplish that goal.
