Colin Cowherd Raises Alarming Anthony Davis, Lakers Concerns
Colin Cowherd raised alarming concerns about Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers this week.
Specifically, the Fox Sports radio host wondered if Davis had the fire, hunger and heart necessary to lead his team to an NBA championship. And if the answer to that question was ‘no,’ then Cowherd questioned if the Lakers had what it took to go all the way.
“Anthony Davis is talented, but he’s got no dog,” Cowherd said.
“He’s not going to develop that and that’s what wins in the playoffs.”
“Anthony Davis is talented, but he’s got no dog. He’s not going to develop that and that’s what wins in the playoffs.” — @ColinCowherd pic.twitter.com/QMl6OyNqBd
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) August 4, 2020
Ric Bucher Also Has Concerns About Anthony Davis
This is not the first time that Cowherd or one of his guests raised questions about just how important Davis would be when it mattered most.
Earlier in the week, Bleacher Report NBA writer Ric Bucher appeared on his show and shared similar concerns.
“I keep hearing over and over ‘If the Lakers are going to win, AD has to be the driving force, and AD has to be the go-to guy,’” he said.
“AD is very good one-on-one on the block, but if you saw early on in the Clippers game, any time they muddied it up or sent a double-team, AD is not a playmaker. He’s a phenomenal talent but he’s not a playmaker, which is why you’re not going to give the ball to him on the block and expect plays for himself or somebody else.”
The timing of this criticism is interesting. While it is fair to note that Davis struggled against the Toronto Raptors on Saturday night, he was very solid against the Clippers last Thursday and Utah Jazz on Monday. His field goal percentage in all three games left a bit to be desired – but he was still extremely impactful. In fact, it was he – and not LeBron James – who carried his squad to wins against the Clippers and Jazz.
Cowherd Questions the Lakers’ Depth
The other big concern Cowherd has about the Lakers is their lack of a third star. He said this much on his show on Monday.
“I don’t think the Lakers are a championship team,” Cowherd argued.
“One of the reasons is that they have no wiggle room. You got to have wiggle room to win championships. Bad things happen and guys get hurt. They have no wiggle room and [Sunday] was a prime example. AD is a little off, LeBron takes a little break, and Toronto goes on a 10-0 run.
“We’ve been raised in this NBA of ‘OK, you got two stars’, but if you look at the third best player on let’s say the last 7 championship teams, that is the key.”
Moreover, the Fox Sports radio host does not believe the Lakers’ most recent victory over the Clippers is indicative of anything.
“Everyone takes away so much from the Clippers game but Montrezl Harrell and Lou Williams, two of their top 6 guys, did not play,” he said.
“I just don’t think this Lakers team is a championship team. I think they’re good, and I they’re fun, but yesterday with AD off they had big struggles.”
Lakers are Still Favorites to Win Championship
As things currently stand, odds makers favor the Lakers to win the title. Most books have them at something to the effect of +240 to take home the big prize – comfortably ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks who are about +260 and Los Angeles Clippers who are +320.
Something that helps the Lakers’ case is the fact that, with the team’s win against the Jazz, they clinched first place in the Western Conference.
Davis 42 points and 12 rebounds against arguably the most potent big man defender in the league in Rudy Gobert is also telling.
While Cowherd’s concerns are not totally unfounded, they seem a bit mistimed – to say the least. The Lakers will face some extremely legitimate tests on the path to a championship, and they could easily fall to the likes of the Clippers, Bucks or Houston Rockets.
But the team is currently listed as a favorite to win it all for a reason. They are that good. And the smart money says they will ultimately prove Cowherd wrong when it is all said and done.
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A graduate from the University of Texas, Anthony Amador has been credentialed to cover the Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and high school games all over the Lone Star State. Currently, his primary beats are the NBA, MLB, NFL and UFC.
