Anthony Davis isn't an All-Star this season, but he's aiming to play like one again

LOS ANGELES — The dejected feeling became apparent with Anthony Davis’ initial silence, his dejected look and his self criticism.

Only moments ago, Davis threw up a floater that rimmed in and out as time expired. It marked the end of the Lakers’ 111-110 loss to the LA Clippers on Thursday that featured both a resilient comeback and maddening shortcomings. Nothing epitomized the latter development more than Davis’ missed potential game-winner.

“Basketball gods can’t do that to me, man,” Davis said. “The ball is in. It rolls out. Tough play.”

Earlier in the day, Davis absorbed other tough news. Davis learned that he would not be among the Western Conference All-Star reserves that were selected by the league’s 30 coaches. Yet, he hardly reacted with the same frustration with his words and body language as he did with the Lakers (25-28) losing four of their past five games while LeBron James has nursed a sore left knee.

“I kind of figured I wasn’t because of the amount of games that I missed,” Davis said.

"The ball touched every part of the rim. You can't ask for a better look." Anthony Davis walks @LakersReporter through the final play of tonight's game that would have won it for the #LakeShow. pic.twitter.com/OBb7NLEs0u

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) February 4, 2022

 

He has sat for a combined 20 games for various reasons, including an MCL sprain in his left knee (17), a sore left knee (two), a sore right wrist (one) and flu-like symptoms unrelated to COVID-19 (one). Because of that extended time in the trainer’s room, Davis noted this will mark the first time he won’t participate in All-Star weekend in his 10-year NBA career. He first played in the NBA’s rookie game before playing in eight consecutive All-Star games.

“I know my wife is ecstatic,” Davis said. “I can spend time; not be at All-Star and be somewhere else.”

Yet, the Lakers hardly envisioned that Davis would spend All-Star weekend from Feb. 18-20 away from Cleveland in his third season here.

The Lakers had expressed hope that Davis could replicate the same chemistry with James as they did when they won the 2020 NBA championship in a restart bubble. The Lakers shared optimism that Davis could stay healthy after missing a combined 36 regular-season games last season and significant chunks of the Lakers’ first-round series loss to Phoenix because of various injuries. And the Lakers believed that Davis, James and Russell Westbrook would form a dominant trio as well as a dependable duo anytime James sat.

No wonder Lakers coach Frank Vogel conceded he felt “a little surprised” that neither Davis nor Westbrook were among the All-Star reserves. Vogel rightfully noted that their exclusion is “probably more indicative of our win-loss record.”

After all, the Lakers (25-28) trail the Clippers (27-27) by 1 1/2 games for eighth place in the Western Conference. At this pace, the Lakers will spend the second half of the season competing for a spot in the Play-In Tournament rather than securing a top seed as originally imagined.

“Uphill battle for us,” Davis said.

The Lakers have faced that uphill battle for a while now amid overlapping injuries to James, Davis and various role players. Westbrook has shown inconsistent stretches and glimpses of what has made him a nine-time All-Star. Vogel has observed Davis has handled those circumstances “like a pro.” But he also conceded that he needs more from what Davis has mostly offered this season.

“We need every win we can get right now,” Vogel said. “So that’s what is needed of him. If he plays that way when we’re whole, obviously we won a championship with him with that level of determination.”

Back in 2019-20, Davis averaged 26.1 points and 9.3 rebounds while logging 29 double-doubles and five 40-point performances. He made a game-winning 3-pointer in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals against the Denver Nuggets and garnered Finals MVP buzz by averaging 33 points, 11.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in Games 1 and 2 against Miami. In Game 4, Davis made a dagger 3 and held Jimmy Butler to a 1-of-7 clip.

And this season? Davis has averaged 23.6 points and 9.9 rebounds while shooting efficiently from the field (52.4%), inefficiently from deep (17.5%) and has 17 double-doubles. But even with those diminished numbers, Davis has shown flashes of his dominant self.

Since Davis’ return from his injury, he has averaged 25.2 points on 53.8% shooting on 10.2 rebounds. He has posted three 30-point games, including two consecutive games against Portland and the Clippers.

Davis has noticed the improved “spacing” with Vogel featuring him in small-ball lineups. But while Westbrook conceded his improved play partly has to do with new schemes and a new mindset, he observed that “it’s more probably him.”

“When he was at his best in the bubble, he was doing that plus carrying that 3-point threat as well,” Vogel said. “We’re going to get there. When we get there, we’re going to be dangerous. We’re going to have a chance to do this. We just have to weather the storm right now.”

The Lakers came awfully close toward weathering the storm, overcoming a 17-point deficit to the Clippers. They absorbed Carmelo Anthony missing the entire second half after straining his right hamstring. And Davis had his fingerprints all over the comeback.

Davis dominated in the paint and in the post despite the Clippers’ persistent double teams. Westbrook routinely threw lobs to Davis, including one that gave the Lakers a 110-109 lead with 12.5 seconds left. Lakers shooting guard Malik Monk also connected with Davis after experiencing hiccups earlier in the season on knowing when to pass to him.

“He’s always talking to me about the reads and what I should do and what I shouldn’t do and things like that since I got here,” Monk said. “He’s been talking to me since I’ve been here. It’s great to see what we’ve been doing man.”

And, then, of course, there is the final play. After Clippers guard Reggie Jackson made a layup to give the Clippers a 111-110 lead with 4.1 seconds left, Davis had the ball in his hand and saw a wide-open lane.

Davis recalled that Clippers guard Terance Mann “didn’t know who to guard.” Davis observed that Jackson kept screaming “Who got ball?!” while defending Austin Reaves behind the perimeter. And Davis remembered Clippers forward Serge Ibaka and Marcus Morris Sr. played on the weakside and inadvertently created a lane. So, Davis drove past Mann and then pulled up for a floater.

“The ball touched every part of the rim,” Davis said. “I couldn’t ask for a better look. Malik was trailing. But by that time, I was already into the shot. Tough play, tough miss.”

Not tough enough that Davis believed it cost them the game. He noted “we were way off defensively” earlier in the game that included a few delayed closeouts on his end. But the play bothered him enough that he expressed relief the Lakers have the day off on Friday after completing a back-to-back.

It does not sound like he needs that day to cool off his anger over missing the All-Star Game. Perhaps Davis becomes a replacement player for Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, who stated he will not play after missing the past 14 games with a lower back injury.  Regardless, Davis vowed he will become a worthy candidate again.

“I’ll have more opportunities,” Davis said. “I’m sure I’ll be in there.”

In the meantime, the Lakers hope Davis plays like an All-Star through the second half of their season. Their championship and playoff hopes depend on it.

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Mark Medina is a senior writer/analyst for NBA.com. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on Twitter.

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