Looks like Denver is going to be π₯’s opponent in the Finals, huh?
Speaking of ππ§, I have seldom, if ever, read such a beat down from a hometown sports pencil of a local player, in this case Anthony Davis Disorder:
Who else is sick of Anthony Davis' disappearing act?
He vanished into thin air.
He disappeared under an avalanche of pressure.
He evaporated amid a mountain of howls.
Handed the most important cue of his career, he didn’t show up.
In the biggest night of the Lakers season, he took the night off.
...
On a devastating Thursday evening at loud, hostile Balls Arena, the Lakers’ most important player continued his playoff-long trend of failing to consistently perform.
...
The Lakers are indeed on the brink. And it is Davis who put them there.
...
If Davis doesn’t shoot four of 15, the Lakers win.
If Davis collects more than one offensive rebound, the Lakers win.
If Davis had scored even an iota of the 40 points he had in this series opener, the Lakers win.
If Davis was aggressive around the basket instead of allowing the Nuggets to gain nine more rebounds and score 46 points in the paint, the Lakers win.
If A.D. had not played like historic A.D., the Lakers win.
Face it, this is who he is. ...
A must-win game, and he’s a no-show star? How does that happen just two nights after he scored 40 points in Game 1?
... Davis was terrible for most of the first three quarters ... and just kept being terrible.
...
The truly aggravating thing about watching Davis on Thursday night was that it was impossible to not also watch Denver giant Nikola Jokic, who was pretty much the opposite of Davis.
Jokic only scored 23 points, but he grabbed 17 rebounds, dished out a dozen assists, and made everybody on his team better.
...
In the decisive fourth quarter...Davis was making a mess, committing three turnovers. While the Nuggets were constantly on the attack, Davis was failing to attack, scoring just one basket that wasn’t a three-pointer.
While the Nuggets were closers, Davis was a bystander.
Before the game, Ham laid out the Lakers’ plan.
“First and foremost, we’ve got to bring the juice to the table to be able to compete and get intangibles done,” he said.
Anthony Davis didn’t do that. He didn’t do any of that. Again.
###
Right? Pretty rude. DESERVED.