Despite having the reigning Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert on the same floor on Monday, Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel went ahead and proclaimed Anthony Davis as the best defender in the league this season.
Frank Vogel said this about @AntDavis23 on a night he scored 42 points: "Anthony is the most talented defender in the NBA. He proves it night in and night out."
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) August 4, 2020
The Purple and Gold clinched the top-seed in the ultra-competitive Western Conference following an emphatic a 116-108 victory over the Utah Jazz in the Orlando bubble. This was made possible by Davis' dominance, as he dropped a game-high 42 points, 12 rebounds and four assists in 39 minutes.
The Brow even connected on a difficult 4-point play over the top of Gobert's outstretched hands in the dying seconds to seal the victory for the Lakers.
While it was Davis' offensive efficiency that stood out the most, there's no denying that he also made quite the impact on the other side of the ball. Aside from the three steals and one rejection, AD altered a lot of shots and forced Jazz ball-handlers to be cautious due to his activity on the passing lanes.
It is also worth noting that Frank Vogel played Davis at the power forward spot, alongside defensive anchors JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard who took turns at the center spot. This certainly took a lot of pressure off the seven-time All-Star defensively, allowing him to be a weakside defender instead of the main anchor underneath.
Anthony Davis certainly deserves MVP considerations in his first year with the Lakers, but it appears that he will be on his way to his first-ever Defensive Player of the Year citation. Rudy Gobert does deserve some merit for possibly his third consecutive DPOY plum; however, it's hard to deny Davis' claim especially after the LA's transformation to a defensive powerhouse.
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