Brian Windhorst says Anthony Davis is in ‘better physical condition’ than he was earlier in his career

During his time with the Los Angeles Lakers, injuries have been a persistent concern for Anthony Davis. After all, he suited in over 70 games in just one of his first five seasons playing for the storied franchise, and that came when he played 76 contests in the 2023-24 season.

But recent words from ESPN’s Brian Windhorst should have Lakers fans optimistic about the notion that Davis will once again play in the overwhelming majority of Los Angeles’ 82 games in the 2024-25 campaign.

According to Windhorst, Davis is “in better physical condition” right now than he was during the earlier stages of his NBA career.

“Part of this story is that Anthony Davis is in better physical condition,” Windhorst said of Los Angeles’ impressive start to the campaign. “He is just in better physical condition than he was earlier in his career. He’s going through a run of health, so knock on wood and hope that continues. But this is one of the things — it helped him throughout last season, and then when he got to Team USA this last summer, he was in — of the big men especially — he was in clearly the best condition out of any of the bigs who were in camp.”

Davis is putting up monster numbers through the Lakers’ first three games this season. He is averaging a league-high 34.0 points on 57.1 percent shooting from the floor and 40.0 percent from deep along with 11.0 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 2.3 blocks per game.

Maybe his best showing so far came in Los Angeles’ season opener against Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves on Oct. 22. Davis totaled 36 points, 16 rebounds, four assists and three blocks in the team’s seven-point victory.

With Davis looking like the Lakers’ best player since the start of the campaign, the Lakers have yet to lose a game this season. Los Angeles owns the top record in the Western Conference at 3-0, and all three of its wins have come against formidable opponents in the Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns and Timberwolves.

Davis and the Lakers will play the Suns for the second time this season already on Monday night, though this matchup will take place at Footprint Center — Phoenix’s home arena. The big man will try to replicate his play against the Suns in the first showdown between the two teams on Oct. 25, when he scored 35 points while converting 11 of his 18 shots from the floor.

If the Lakers can pick up another win over the Suns, Los Angeles will improve to an impressive 4-0 on the season. Plus, if it weren’t for Davis’ play on both ends of the floor, perhaps the Lakers wouldn’t be in a position to win their fourth game in a row.