Anthony Davis: What could have been if I was healthy all year with LeBron and Kendrick Nunn?

Michael Scotto: Anthony Davis: “What could we have been if I was healthy all year, LeBron, Kendrick Nunn? You think about those things. When we put this team together, we looked really good on paper, but we haven’t had a chance to reach that …

Michael Scotto: Anthony Davis: “What could we have been if I was healthy all year, LeBron, Kendrick Nunn? You think about those things. When we put this team together, we looked really good on paper, but we haven’t had a chance to reach that potential with guys being in and out of the lineup.” pic.twitter.com/4yuS4I7AJW

Source: Twitter @MikeAScotto

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Michael Scotto @MikeAScotto
Anthony Davis: “What could we have been if I was healthy all year, LeBron, Kendrick Nunn? You think about those things. When we put this team together, we looked really good on paper, but we haven’t had a chance to reach that potential with guys being in and out of the lineup.” pic.twitter.com/4yuS4I7AJW7:42 PM

Kyle Goon @kylegoon
Asked about what he thinks about the play-in games, Anthony Davis notes that last year the Lakers were in the play-in, this year they’re still trying to get in: “Can’t say I hate it. Gives us a chance to get in the playoffs.” – 7:23 PM
Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Anthony Davis on the Play-In Tournament: “I can’t say I hate it [laughs].” Says it gives them a chance to get into the playoffs. But said jokingly if they don’t get in: “I hate it.” – 7:23 PM
Melissa Rohlin @melissarohlin
Anthony Davis said the most frustrating part of this season is not knowing how good this team could’ve been. He pointed to the fact that he, LeBron James and Russell Westbrook have only played 21 games together. – 7:22 PM
Malika Andrews @malika_andrews
Anthony Davis, in part: “That’s the most frustrating part of this season… not being sure of what we could’ve been.” – 7:18 PM
Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
Davis on his biggest question:
“Had we stayed healthy all year … what could we have been?”
He mentioned specifically the injuries to him (39 games played), LeBron (56) and Kendrick Nunn (0). – 7:17 PM
Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Anthony Davis: “The most frustrating part of this season has been what we could’ve been.” – 7:17 PM
Dave McMenamin @mcten
Anthony Davis: “It’s another must-win … must-must win … in Phoenix.” He said he did not know if LeBron James’ ankle injury will allow him to play against PHX. He said the LAL medical staff told him his mid-foot sprain won’t get worse by him playing on it, so he intends to play – 7:17 PM
Kyle Goon @kylegoon
Anthony Davis calls the game in Phoenix “must, must, must-win” and says the Suns have been playing well but can be beat.
The Suns lost twice in all of March. – 7:16 PM
Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Anthony Davis on if LeBron will play on Tuesday vs. Suns: “I have no idea. I hope so.” – 7:15 PM
Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
Anthony Davis (28P, 9R, 8A, 3B, 2S) said his foot was “bothering me through the course of the game,” but he thinks it’s important for him to push through to keep hope alive. He said the medical staff advised him it’s not something he can make worse. Expected soreness. – 7:15 PM
Kyle Goon @kylegoon
Anthony Davis says the medical staff has advised him that he can’t make his right foot “worse,” it’s just a matter of managing his soreness, which is why he’s worked to fight through his injury at this juncture. – 7:13 PM
Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Anthony Davis on his soreness: “It was bothering me from the course of the game from start to finish. But there’s times you have to be able to fight through it.” – 7:11 PM
Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Anthony Davis on playing through soreness: “It was bothering me through the course of the game from start to finish.” – 7:11 PM
Danny Leroux @DannyLeroux
Dunc’d On: Point Guard Rankings 2021-22 w/ @Nate Duncan
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Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Frank Vogel praised Anthony Davis for “playing with a lot of heart” while clearly not being 100% healthy. – 6:32 PM
Adam Mares @Adam_Mares
38-18-6-3-2 on 15/22 shooting.
Full takeover mode when it mattered most.
Stonewalled AD in the post like 8 times down the stretch.
And best of all…MVP chants at Staples/Crypto – 6:13 PM
Vinny Benedetto @VBenedetto
Final: Nuggets 129, Lakers 118. Jokic finishes with 38-18-6. Barton adds 25, Gordon scores 21. Good stuff from Cousins, Bones and Reed off the bench. AD and Russ score 28 and 27, respectively, for the Lakers. Nuggets move into fifth in the West for now. – 6:12 PM
Brad Turner @BA_Turner
Despite 28 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists from Anthony Davis and 27 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists from Russell Westbrook, the Lakers dropped a 129-118 game to the Nuggets. – 6:09 PM
Jovan Buha @jovanbuha
Final: Nuggets 129, Lakers 118
The Lakers fall to 31-47. They’re 1.5 games behind the Spurs for No. 10 — two games back in the loss column. AD had 28 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals and 3 blocks. Russ had 27 pts, 10 rebs and 7 asts.
Up next: at Phoenix on Tuesday. – 6:09 PM
Adam Mares @Adam_Mares
Jokic is a great post up defender and he has done a great job on AD down the stretch but the Nuggets haven’t been able to grab the rebound when he contests. – 6:02 PM
Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
Free pod: Point Guard Rankings 2021-22 w/ @Danny Leroux: https://t.co/7rnbLU77hI
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Jovan Buha @jovanbuha
Third quarter: Nuggets 95, Lakers 94
Anthony Davis has 24 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and 3 blocks while hobbled. Russell Westbrook has 21 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists. The Lakers have done a great job of pressuring the rim with 60 points in the paint already. – 5:33 PM
Kyle Goon @kylegoon
AD up to 22 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists. Been a hell of a game for him playing through some evident pain in his foot. – 5:23 PM
Kyle Goon @kylegoon
For reference, Anthony Davis has never had more than 7 assists in a game as a Laker. – 5:11 PM
Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
Anthony Davis has four assists in the first 3+ minutes of the 3rd Q (7 total), first outside for 3’s from Bradley and Monk, and then inside for consecutive buckets at the rim from Howard.
LAL lead 74-69 due to a 13-7 run. Only other hoop was a Westbrook rim run. – 5:11 PM
Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Anthony Davis has been fighting through the limps. Might be enough at least to keep the Lakers’ hopes alive today. – 5:09 PM
Danny Leroux @DannyLeroux
Dunc’d On: Point Guard Rankings 2021-22 w/
@Nate Duncan
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Brad Turner @BA_Turner
Lakers down 62-61 at half to Nuggets. AD leads Lakers with 17 points, 5 rebounds. Russell Westbrook has 14 points, 5 assists. – 4:49 PM
Kyle Goon @kylegoon
Because Malik Monk fouled on the last shot, the Nuggets get to go up 62-61 at halftime. Exceptional start by Anthony Davis (17 points) and Russell Westbrook (14 points), but not quite enough. – 4:49 PM
Jovan Buha @jovanbuha
Halftime: Nuggets 62, Lakers 61
Denver scored 38 points in the second quarter to take a lead into the second half. Russell Westbrook has 14 points and 5 assists. Anthony Davis has 17 points, 2 steals and 3 blocks. He’s clearly been laboring up and down the floor. – 4:49 PM
Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
Here’s the irony: The way AD is clearly battling discomfort, I’m not even sure he’ll be able to get through the playoffs, were he able to help will the Lakers into them. AK – 4:45 PM
Jovan Buha @jovanbuha
Anthony Davis is set to check back in. – 4:26 PM
Jovan Buha @jovanbuha
First quarter: Lakers 28, Nuggets 24
Anthony Davis was awesome in the first quarter with 12 points, 2 steals and 1 block. The starting group won its minutes, which is notable. The Lakers’ defense helped force seven Denver turnovers. LA has 10 assists to just 4 turnovers. – 4:15 PM
Janis Carr @janiscarr
Difficult to see AD sitting on the bench (again). – 4:14 PM
Brad Townsend @townbrad
More and more I’m wondering if Anthony Davis is going to be this generation’s Bill Walton. One championship. Some jaw-dropping stretches. Constantly hampered by lower-leg injuries. – 4:14 PM
Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
Anthony Davis has played in only 39 games this season, but he did outplay Joel Embiid in late January, going for 31 points, 12 boards and 4 blocks with 2 steals.
Today against Jokic, AD’s off to a good start, with 12 points on 5 of 9 FG’s, w/2 boards and a block in 8 minutes. – 4:09 PM
Kyle Goon @kylegoon
Key to the non-AD shifts is gonna be shot-making. Augustin and Anthony just hit some big jumpers to pull the Lakers ahead 26-18 with 1:23 in the first quarter. – 4:07 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
AD been running the point 😂😂😂😂😂😂 playing 4-on-5 barely looking in Russ direction – 4:05 PM
Kyle Goon @kylegoon
Quite a sequence from Anthony Davis: he swipes at the ball in Jokic’s hands, comes up with it, takes it up the court, goes off the dribble against Jokic and hits a tough runner, and-1. Makes the free throw, plus a technical free throw.
He’s got 12 points in just under 8 minutes. – 4:04 PM
Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
This game feels a little like the Phoenix game at the end of last regular season did so far, where AD just dominated and tantalized all of us with how good he can be at his best. Helped them beat a team they had no business beating in that game. Maybe history repeats today. – 4:02 PM
Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
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Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
Good start from LeBron-less LAL today, as they lead Denver 12-5, led by @Anthony Davis.
AD has a pair of dunks towards 6 points, plus some good defense on Jokic, including a big swat near the rim. – 3:53 PM
Jovan Buha @jovanbuha
Lakers’ starters vs. Denver:
Dwight Howard
Anthony Davis
Malik Monk
Avery Bradley
Russell Westbrook – 3:02 PM
Danny Leroux @DannyLeroux
Dunc’d On: Point Guard Rankings 2021-22 w/ @Nate Duncan
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Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
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Dunc’d On Total Access members get this episode ad-free, plus our other 4 pods per week. Subscribe: https://t.co/XSgwN6kjka pic.twitter.com/h15Xpli1pn2:00 PM

Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
Vogel said LeBron’s ankle was particularly sore after last game; short turnaround (7:30 p.m. Friday tip, to 12:30 p.m. Sunday tip) didn’t help.
Vogel has had to game plan without LeBron or AD for most of the season: “Season of adjustment … we gotta play through it.” – 1:56 PM
Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
Anthony Davis will be playing today. Also, Frank Vogel notified us that Carmelo Anthony will receive the NBA’s Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion award, which will be presented to him by its namesake. AK – 1:55 PM
Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
Anthony Davis came through his return from the mid-foot sprain well, said Frank Vogel, and Davis will play today against Denver. – 1:52 PM
Kyle Goon @kylegoon
Frank Vogel confirms LeBron James is out today against Denver. Anthony Davis is in. – 1:51 PM
Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
Anthony Davis is playing today. – 1:50 PM
Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Frank Vogel says Anthony Davis WILL play today. – 1:50 PM
Dave McMenamin @mcten
Frank Vogel says LeBron James is out and Anthony Davis will play today against Denver. “He had ankle soreness from the other night, this is essentially like a back to back,” Vogel said. Vogel said LeBron is day to day moving forward. – 1:50 PM
Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Frank Vogel considers LeBron James as “day-to-day.” Though Vogel described Anthony Davis as “sore,” he will play today against the Nuggets – 1:50 PM
Brad Turner @BA_Turner
Anthony Davis is playing – 1:50 PM
Allen Sliwa @AllenSliwa
Coach Vogel confirms Lebron OUT with ankle soreness…AD is IN – 1:50 PM
Allen Sliwa @AllenSliwa
What did you think of AD in his first game back? pic.twitter.com/f36etDqQ591:47 PM

Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
Jeff Green (personal) is out today vs. Lakers. I’m guessing JaMychal Green moves into the starting five to guard Anthony Davis. – 12:54 PM
Miles Bridges @MilesBridges
Rounding out the @Dunkaroos All-Dunkaroos Team is no other than @fulkerson_john . He showed up and showed out at the @3X3UHoops Championship in NOLA! #90sstyle #Ad pic.twitter.com/ho5Ing4jJ412:43 PM

Tommy Beer @TommyBeer
Dick’s Sporting Goods ad from 1985 where they advertise the Jordan 1’s for the retail price of $39.99 pic.twitter.com/XD7wq1HtEQ12:40 PM

Kellan Olson @KellanOlson
Great IPA ad to close the show.
Kevin Owens must feel on top of the world. Bumping and selling like a maniac for one of his heroes in the main event of the big one. That was fun. – 12:07 AM
Chuck Cooperstein @coopmavs
After watching this insane review in BKN-ATL game. Crew chief needs to be mic’d up to explain. The folks in the building who actually pay good $$ to be there. Thet deserve the reasoning ad much if not more than TV viewers do – 10:02 PM
Tim Reynolds @ByTimReynolds
Odd to put an ad for 2022 women’s Final Four tickets on the men’s broadcast — a day after the women’s semifinals were played. – 8:16 PM
Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
Sunday notes on a Saturday: For the Heat, it didn’t have to be this way. If not for ones that got away, Heat could have been on cruise control. sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-h… Plus: Nunn sits, Celtics’ respect, Iguodala insights, Achiuwa achievements, Coach L, Spoelstra, Riley, more. – 9:00 AM

More on this storyline

Ryan Ward: Frank Vogel on Russell Westbrook: “He’s doing everything he can. … I’m proud of Russ.” -via Twitter @RyanWardLA / April 3, 2022
Kyle Goon: FINAL: Nuggets 129, Lakers 118. The Lakers aren’t officially eliminated yet, but we’re getting pretty close. Davis with 28-9-8, Russ with 27-10-7. No matter. Nikola Jokic dominates with 38 points, 18 rebounds, 6 assists. -via Twitter @kylegoon / April 3, 2022
LeBron James’ last-ditch 3-pointer found nothing but air, and the Lakers’ postseason hopes continued to vanish with Friday night’s 114-111 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. “The big picture is that it pretty much was a must-win for us, and we didn’t get the job done,” said James. “We had great opportunities throughout the night, and we didn’t make enough plays down the stretch. So that’s the big picture.” -via ESPN / April 2, 2022