Suffering From Illness, Anthony Davis Isn’t Afraid Of Nikola Jokic Challenge Due To 1 Strategic Advantage

After setting a solid record during the exhibition games, Team USA will begin their Olympic run by facing Serbia. For the star-filled NBA roster, this matchup includes a highly anticipated reunion with three-time MVP Nikola Jokić. Both LeBron James and Anthony Davis have not had much success against the Serbian on the domestic stage, given that the Los Angeles Lakers currently hold a 1-9 record against the Denver Nuggets. However, when it comes to the Olympics, at least one player is confident about his chances.

In a recent presser, Anthony Davis admitted that the matchup against Serbia is set to be a good one. Along with praising Bogdan Bogdanović, the 31-year-old also stated that Nikola Jokić’s NBA record was enough to emphasize his prowess. Despite this, Davis went on to state “Obviously, you know what he (Jokic) does in the NBA. But, then maybe a little bit higher usage rate in the international game.”

Through this remark, Davis indicated that the percentage of the team’s possessions that Jokic makes use of is higher when he is playing on the international level. Therefore, Jokic’s alleged dependency on possessions can be a factor that Team USA can exploit during the pivotal game.

Despite having found a chink in the armor, Anthony Davis will still have to be careful going into the game. After all, due to his illness, he is not at 100% at the moment. Details about Davis’s health were revealed in a recent statement by head coach Steve Kerr, who also mentioned that Joel Embiid is not at his best either. While Embiid’s illness had only caused him to miss the most recent practice session, the Lakers star was reportedly absent from quite a few. Despite this, Kerr confidently stated, “We’ll have everybody ready tomorrow”.

Nikola Jokic’s usage rate is no secret. In fact, during the early stages of the 2023-24 season, he was among the top 5 players in terms of usage percentage. His usage rate saw a significant jump this season, going from 27.1% during the 2022-23 season to 29.3%. According to the official website of the NBA, this increase helped Jokic compensate for lost efficiency in light of Jamal Murray’s absence back in November. For Anthony Davis and his teammates, knowing Jokic’s high usage rate means they can better focus their defensive efforts on the Serbian star during the upcoming game.

Anthony Davis’s performance against Serbia convinced Colin Cowherd to put him over Joel Embiid

Team USA’s exhibition game against Serbia was the first test of how the team would fare in an actual Olympic game. Anthony Davis did not live up to expectations, only scoring 7 points and grabbing 6 rebounds. While his points did not come close to the double-digit contributions made by LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Anthony Edwards, Davis’s six blocks helped put the team over the edge. In the end, everyone’s contribution helped Team USA win the game by a 105-79 score.

Despite the fact that Joel Embiid performed better than Davis, longtime sports personality Colin Cowherd was not impressed. The USA-Serbia game taught the 60-year-old a lesson, as he went on to state, “Embiid gets in the way of the offense. Anthony Davis doesn’t… Davis can be a star and dominate a game, but he’s also an incredibly complementary player. He complements LeBron and LeBron doesn’t have to worry about defending the rim. Davis can be a complementary player on this Olympic team, or he can dominate. With Embiid, there is not ‘complementary’ to his game. He forces you to play HIS style.”

With LeBron James and Stephen Curry having led the offensive effort during the exhibition series, Cowherd felt the need for Davis to act as a backup offensive player more than Curry, who is 30 years old. Going into the upcoming game with confidence, Anthony Davis may yet ensure that Team USA does not start off their Olympic run with a loss.