The Los Angeles Lakers have been struggling. But one thing that has been consistent with the Lakers is that Anthony Davis is playing at an elite level. While the team has failed to maintain its momentum after winning the in-season tournament, Davis is reminding the NBA why he is one of the best players in the league. But despite all the incredible performances from Davis, former NBA player George Karl recently insinuated that Davis might be the real reason for the team’s troubles.
Having witnessed Anthony Davis’ dominant display of skills throughout the season, former NBA players are not happy with Karl supporting his fellow coach, Darvin Ham, while bringing down Anthony Davis.
“He is on the floor, and he is playing. And when he is playing, he is playing at an elite level—an All-NBA level. So to put this on Anthony Davis is ridiculous,” said Chandler Parsons while defending Anthony Davis. But Lou Williams, on the other hand, said, “Why do we care about what George Karl has to say about the Lakers?… To me, it always seems like he takes a position against players.”
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"[Anthony Davis] is on the floor, and he's playing, and when he's playing, he's playing at an elite level…To put this on Anthony Davis is ridiculous." @ChandlerParsons
"Why do we care what George Karl has to say about the Lakers?…I've never seen him say anything positive… pic.twitter.com/KxzninzwGt
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) January 10, 2024
As there has been conversation about the disconnect between Darvin Ham and the players on the Lakers, George Karl defended his fellow coach by saying that Ham might not be the problem for the Lakers. Although it is true that Ham is not the sole individual responsible for the Lakers’ struggles, it is not fair to blame Anthony Davis, who has played almost the entirety of the season so far and has consistently been performing at a high level.
It is understandable why the former players are defending Anthony Davis. It is better to look at other issues surrounding the team than take a jab at Anthony Davis, who is having one of the best years of his career.
Anthony Davis needs more help to lead the Lakers
Despite the Lakers having LeBron James and Anthony Davis playing at a high level, the team has struggled heavily. They currently have a .500 record and are 10th in the West. Barely making it to the play-in is not where the Lakers would have wanted to see themselves a few weeks after winning the in-season tournament.
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In recent games, players on the team have been slowly showing signs of improvement. Darvin Ham has also been making changes in the rotations to figure out what will work. Further, it was recently reported by Brian Windhorst that the Lakers are looking to keep their depth and work with what they have rather than make a huge splash at the trade deadline.
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The Lakers made the conference finals the previous year but lost to the eventual champions. With the team having continuity and getting more time to build their chemistry, things can only get better for the team.
What do you think of George Karl blaming Anthony Davis? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!