Lakers big man Anthony Davis has had a tumultuous season. Prior to going down with a foot injury in December, ‘The Brow’ was playing MVP-level basketball for the Lakers. For the season, Davis is averaging 26.9 points along with 12 rebounds per game.
He scored a game-high 31 points along with a clutch score and a block toward the end in the Lakers’ recent win against the Indiana Pacers. While he was doing that, the league announced the reserves for the upcoming annual All-Star game taking place in Utah. Surprisingly, Davis was not included in the list, this being the second time in two years.
How many games has Anthony Davis played this season?
When Davis learned about him not being selected after the Pacers game, he didn’t seem phased at all. “Nah,” he replied when asked if the snub acts as motivation for him, “I get a longer vacation with my three kids and my wife. That’s how I look at it … I’m pretty sure my wife is happy.” Davis has laced up for 29 games so far this season for the Purple and Gold. As of now, LeBron James will be the only Laker at the All-Star game.
Anthony Davis to @LakersReporter on not being named to the All-Star team:
“I get to go on a vacation with my three kids and my wife. That’s how I look at it.”
— Lakers Nation (@LakersNation) February 3, 2023
He was playing at an MVP level earlier in the season, averaging close to 37 points per game in the November-December stretch, before the injury bug bit him again in mid-December. The 6-foot-10 big man has missed 24 games in total so far, and it seems like that was what swayed an All-Star seat away from him.
Interestingly though, Pelicans star Zion Williamson has played just one game more than AD so far and was named an All-Star starter for this year. He is averaging 26 points along with 7 rebounds per game. Fans and Lakers players alike were reportedly agitated over Davis being snubbed. It is worth mentioning here that Davis almost got selected as a starter for the all-star game, as the early fan voting returns looked good for him.
But eventually, Zion passed him as the starter from the West. Fans have also questioned the selection of Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr., who has played in seven more games than AD but logged only 12 more minutes this season, with worse stats. Eventually, it might be possible that coaches undermined AD’s production because of his missing a lot of games this year.
Minutes played this season:
JJJ 945 – 35 games (all-star)
Zion 956 – 29 games (all-star)
AD 933 – 28 games (not an all-star)— Mo Mooncey (@TheHoopGenius) February 3, 2023
However, there still remains a possibility of him getting a spot as an injury replacement in the All-Star game, though no one is currently injured. If at all that happens, Davis is by far one of the top names left off of the roster and will be the top choice for replacement. Whatever happens, the time off during the All-Star break can serve as a tremendous opportunity for him to rest and prepare his body for the second half of the season.
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