Displaying prowess and skills reminiscent of Wilt Chamberlain, Anthony Davis showed why he was bestowed with the nickname Wilt Davis by his coach last season. The Los Angeles Lakers have added another feather to their list of accomplishments to proudly showcase. The team overpowered the Pacers 123-109 to clinch the inaugural NBA In-Season tournament. As Davis showed out with likely his best performance of the season so far, the 30-year-old was blessed with another middle name by an NBA champion.
ESPN analyst and former Boston Celtics center Kendrick Perkins lauded Davis’ recent power-packed performance on his X account.
Anthony Davis’ monstrous game earned him another title
While LeBron James was, as usual, performing at his best, Davis showcased why he stands as the Lakers’ star. Davis had 41 points, 20 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 blocks. After Elgin Baylor and Chamberlain, he became the third Lakers player to score 40+ points, 20+ rebounds and 5+ assists in a game and the first for 40 years.
With that Davis was blessed with appreciation from NBA greats. Perkins also shared his support for the player. He wrote, “Anthony MF Davis!!!! Carry the hell on…”
Even though he was clearly the best player on the night, it was LeBron James who was named the tournament MVP. Against the Pacers, he recorded 24 points and 11 rebounds.
Despite the defeat, the Indiana Pacers should hold their heads up high. While Tyrese Haliburton scored 20 points along with 11 assists, Bennedict Mathurin contributed 20. However, it wasn’t enough to beat the Lakers. Having won the In Season tournament, each Lakers player will be awarded a $500,000 bonus, while the Pacers will earn a $250,000 bonus.
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While Perkins has often been critical of the Brow, Davis has undeniably shown his master skills on the court. While it was a Wilt Chamberlain-esque performance, Darwin Ham had already compared him to the basketball icon last season.
Darwin Ham recognized Anthony Davis’ greatness with a nickname
After AD’s power performance against the Memphis Grizzlies in March, Lakers head coach Darvin Ham gave him a nickname. He called him Wilt Davis for showcasing stunning skills similar to the Lakers legend. Ham shared, “Early on in the summer. That’s when I was like ‘I got a nickname for you.’ And I didn’t really unveil it, but especially when he went on that tear early on when I think it was 10 games or something like that, that’s when it really came out. Full-blown Wilt Davis.”
The Lakers player was honored to be recognized by the nickname. The Lakers look like a completely different team with the return of their injured role players such as Jarred Vanderbilt. With AD now able to share the defensive workload, he can focus on dominating on the offensive end consistently as well.
Do you think the Lakers are a legitimate contender if Davis continues to play like this? Let us know in the comments below.
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