An Update on the Los Angeles Lakers

By Patrick Park, Staff Writer

Beating the Portland Blazers 136 to 113, the Lakers now have 20 wins in the 2020-21 season. Lebron James had 31 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds while Anthony Davis averaged 39 points, 3 blocks, and 9 rebounds. The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the best teams at the moment and also one of the most favored teams in the NBA. 

With two superstars on their team, Lebron James and Anthony Davis, the Lakers have a good chance at making the playoffs. However, these two players are not the only superstar talent the Lakers have on their team. The Lakers also have Kyle Kuzma, Dwight Howard, Alex Caruso, and many more. One downside of having Anthony Davis is that his contract with his Lakers ends next year. This means that the best chance the Lakers have for making the playoffs and winning a championship is this year. 

Like it or not, Anthony Davis has had a huge impact on the Lakers as soon as he arrived. With a height of six feet and ten inches and a wingspan of seven feet and 10 inches, Anthony Davis is one of the most dangerous NBA players. Davis is also a 6 time NBA All-Star and a 3 time NBA All Defensive Team player. However, he is yet to win an MVP award. Although he may not be able to win an MVP award due to the talents of Luka Doncic, Giannis Antekoumpo, and Lebron James, Davis has a high chance at winning Defensive Player of the Year. He currently leads the NBA for blocks with 2.7 blocks per contest. Anthony Davis has been the main reason for the success of the Lakers defensive game. The Lakers currently have the third-highest defensive rating which is 102.7. Anthony Davis’s physical attributes are not the only things that make him such a good player. Davis is also exceptionally fast for his size. For example, when the Lakers played the Pelicans this season, Davis stole an inbound pass and made a play in the closing seconds of the game which led to the Lakers’ victory. All these factors lead Frank Vogel, the Lakers head coach, to believe that Anthony Davis could win DPOY. In a recent interview, Frank Vogel said, “I think there’s no one in the league like him defensively”. This shows the confidence Vogel has in Davis to win the DPOY award. 

In conclusion, the Lakers have a very high chance to make the playoffs and finals this year due to their stellar team. Best of luck to the Lakers and keep your fingers crossed!