Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone saw firsthand just how much of a problem Los Angeles Lakers superstar Anthony Davis will be for his team in their Western Conference Finals series.
The Brow went off in Game 1 as he had his way against the helpless Nuggets frontline all night long. AD finished with a monstrous stat line of 37 points on 12-of-21 shooting from the field and 1-of-3 from downtown. He also recorded 10 rebounds and four assists in 33 minutes.
Looking at the stat sheet after the contest, a visibly frustrated Malone acknowledged that his team must do a better job with their coverage of the seven-time All-Star.
Nuggets’ Michael Malone on Anthony Davis (37 points) in Lakers’ Game 1 blowout win: “We have to do something different with him. It was too easy for him tonight. He did not feel us. Over 48 minutes, we can’t play him the same, give him the same look.” pic.twitter.com/8XgIIWTtG4
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) September 19, 2020
Anthony Davis was once again the focal point of the Lakers' attack, and he delivered big time. His marvelous outing allowed his fellow superstar LeBron James to take it easy in Game 1 and just focus on distributing the ball. The King finished with 15 points on just 11 shots, but he once again led LA in assists with 12.
The Nuggets, on the other hand, got a rather pedestrian outing from their own All-Star big Nikola Jokic. After dazzling against the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 7 of their semis series, The Joker finished with just 21 points, six boards, two dimes and one block against the Lakers in the opener.
AD, on the other hand, definitely sent a strong message after that convincing Game 1 display. For sure, he heard some of the naysayers that claimed that Jokic will be the best big man in the WCF. Michael Malone and the rest of the Nuggets will be in for a short series if they can't find a way to slow down Davis in the matchup.
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