Even with LeBron James on the team, Anthony Davis is the most important player on the floor for the Lakers. Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

 

The Anthony Davis era has begun. Stop the running contemplation of LeBron James’s legacy and pay attention. Davis, dominant yet nonchalant, must be appreciated as more than complementary to the game’s ultimate superstar.

In his NBA finals debut Wednesday night, Davis owned the night like a true Los Angeles Lakers great. His stats told a compelling story – 34 points, nine rebounds, five assists, three blocks – but even those robust numbers did an insufficient job of capturing how well he commanded this game. If the Lakers hadn’t enjoyed an easy 116-98 victory over Miami in Game 1, Davis might have scored for 40 or 50. On both ends of the floor, the size and versatility of Davis had an overwhelming influence.

Anthony Davis had 34 points, nine rebounds, five assists and three blocks as the Lakers beat Miami 116-98 in Game 1 of the NBA finals on Wednesday. Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

It was a revelation only because Davis hadn’t been on this NBA stage. But for anyone who has really dissected his eight pro seasons, his performance seemed more like a formality, just verification of the elite, historically significant player Davis has been for quite some time.

“I don’t feel anything,” James said when asked how it felt to watch Davis shine during a finals game. “I expect it out of him. Didn’t need to give him no advice. We’ve been preparing for this moment all season. He’s been preparing for this moment all season. I’m happy to be on the same floor with him and in the same uniform. He was, once again, a force in every facet of the game, offensively and defensively.”

This is AD’s time, even though the reign of King James looks to be far from over. Eras can intersect. They often do, especially for the Lakers. Magic and Kareem. Shaq and Kobe. Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor. There doesn’t have to be a clean transfer of power. Plenty of room exists, on the mighty Lakers and within the entire NBA, for forces to come together and share ownership.

Advertisement

It would be an insult to consider Davis a high-performing sidekick. He is so much greater than that. Davis is already extending LeBron’s greatness by anchoring a suffocating defense and inspiring James to recommit on that end and by becoming the focal point of the offense. With Davis on the team, James gets to pick and choose his moments more than he ever has. In Game 1, he was able to conserve energy while filling the stat sheet: 25 points, 13 rebounds, nine assists.

For the first time in his career, James is a full-time point guard on offense. Even when he played with all-star guards Dwyane Wade in Miami and Kyrie Irving in Cleveland, James was a hybrid scorer/facilitator operating from the wing. With these Lakers, he can focus on running the show and playing off Davis.

In the past, co-stars always have had to defer to James. But Davis is barely in his prime, and James is now 35 and defying time. Assuming Davis signs a long-term contract with L.A. before next season, everything is in place for him to take over after his teammate finally succumbs to age. In the meantime, the two are a kind of tag team that James has never had.

When Davis was named to the all-NBA first team this season, he became the first teammate in James’s 17 seasons to join him in that top five. Wade was never higher than second team all-NBA while playing with LeBron. Irving was never higher than third team. Kevin Love and Chris Bosh sacrificed individual honors and turned into No. 3 options. For as unselfish as the King can be, for all his court vision and passing ability, he has always taken up a lot of room. Most co-stars accepted it because they knew they were playing with the best. Irving couldn’t take it after three seasons and demanded to be traded.

The dynamic with Davis is different. Davis is the prototypical fit for James. You couldn’t create a more ideal superstar partner for James or any great, past or present. And since Davis is only 27 and equipped with an ultramodern big man skill set, future stars will probably crave playing with him, too.

“He’s just a great player, you know what I mean?” Lakers Coach Frank Vogel said. “The moment doesn’t change things for him. His approach is the same. He’s focused, locked in, can really hurt you in a variety of ways offensively. Leads the charge for us to play effort offense, running the floor, crashing the boards, rolling hard, attacking it in the post. His ability to shoot the ball from the perimeter, the way that’s grown throughout our season has been invaluable to us, and he’s a Jack of all trades on the defensive end. He really just impacts both sides of the ball, and obviously the bigger the moment, he’s just raising his play.”

Advertisement

James is a rock star, a magnet for attention and headlines. For the past decade, he has been comfortable as the face of the NBA. On the other hand, Davis is mellow and still learning how to wear his stardom. For his first seven seasons, he wasn’t fully appreciated during his time in New Orleans. The Pelicans made the playoffs just twice. They advanced in the postseason just once. Davis racked up stats and honors, but he wasn’t respected at the level of his numbers. His career player efficiency rating (27.42) ranks third in NBA history, behind only Michael Jordan (27.91) and James (27.49).

With his array of skills, the 6-foot-10 Davis affects the game as thoroughly as any player who has taken an NBA court. He is an authentic positionless talent who can guard just about anyone, as well as score in a variety of ways, space the floor as a long-range shooting threat and create for others.

“It takes a lot to get to the level that he is on,” Lakers center Dwight Howard said.

The Davis era has begun. This NBA finals is not limited to polishing James’s legacy. Quite often, Davis is the most important Laker on the floor.

Don’t let the LeBronarama distract you. James might not be able to sneeze without inspiring debate about whether it was the greatest achoo ever, but Davis should not be an afterthought. The Lake Show is his show, too.

Related Headlines

Comments are not available on this story.