8 Points in a Blowout: What’s Wrong with Anthony Davis?

The Los Angeles Lakers suffered a crushing 134-93 loss to the Miami Heat, marking one of their most humiliating defeats in franchise history. Heading into this game, the Lakers were already struggling, losing five of their last seven games, including a 29-point drubbing by the Timberwolves. While many anticipated a tough outing, few expected the team to lose by a staggering 41 points.

This defeat not only set a new low for the Lakers this season but also ranked as the franchise’s eighth-worst loss since 1976. From the opening quarter, the Lakers were outmatched. By halftime, they trailed by 17 points, and a disastrous third quarter saw them outscored 36-20, turning the fourth quarter into mere garbage time.

Anthony Davis’ Disappointing Night

While team losses are never solely on one player, Anthony Davis’ performance raised significant concerns. Playing 31 minutes, Davis shot just 3-of-14 from the field, missed his only three-point attempt, and went 2-of-4 from the free-throw line, finishing with a mere 8 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists. His plus/minus of -29 was the lowest on the team, underlining his struggles on both ends of the court.

Davis’ shot chart told the story: he was ineffective in the paint, his outside shot wasn’t falling, and he looked entirely out of rhythm. This was an alarming performance from a player expected to anchor the team in both scoring and defense.

LeBron James: A Glimmer of Hope

On a night when Davis struggled, LeBron James showed signs of breaking out of his recent slump. LeBron shot 12-of-18 from the field, finishing with 29 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists. This marked a turnaround after a stretch in which he failed to score more than 20 points in five of his last seven games—a rare occurrence in his illustrious career. However, LeBron’s resurgence couldn’t offset the team’s defensive lapses and lackluster overall performance.

The Bigger Concern: Davis’ Recent Form

Davis’ struggles against the Heat were not an isolated incident. Over the last seven games, his production has dropped off significantly:

• vs. Heat: 8 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists
• vs. Timberwolves: 12 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists
• vs. Jazz: 33 points, 11 rebounds, 2 steals
• vs. Thunder: 15 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists
• vs. Spurs: 19 points, 14 rebounds, 7 assists
• vs. Suns: 25 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists
• vs. Nuggets: 14 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists

In this span, Davis has averaged 18.0 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists, shooting just 43% from the field and a dismal 15.4% from three-point range. His true shooting percentage during this stretch is a paltry 48.9%, a stark contrast to the 65.6% true shooting he posted in the season’s first 14 games.

For comparison, Davis began the season on an MVP-caliber trajectory, averaging 31.3 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.9 blocks, and 1.2 steals over his first 14 games. His shooting splits during that span—57.3% from the field, 43.3% from three, and 78.3% from the free-throw line—made him one of the most efficient and dominant players in the league.

Early MVP Talks to Current Concerns

At the start of the season, Davis’ stellar play had him leading the league in scoring and firmly in the MVP conversation. His two-way dominance gave Lakers fans hope that he could guide the team to contention while solidifying his case for individual accolades like MVP and Defensive Player of the Year.

However, Davis’ recent slump has erased much of that optimism. He has fallen to eighth in scoring and sixth in the latest MVP odds, trailing Nikola Jokić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jayson Tatum, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Anthony Edwards.

While Davis’ overall season averages of 26.9 points, 11.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.9 blocks, and 1.2 steals still reflect All-Star-level production, his inconsistency has raised questions about his ability to maintain the high standards set by superstars like Jokić and Antetokounmpo.

Acknowledging the Problem

To his credit, Davis appears aware of his recent struggles. After the game, he admitted:

"I need to be better on both ends of the floor. I hold myself to a higher standard, and I haven’t been performing to that level, especially on offense. I personally believe it starts with me. If I play better, the rest of the team will play better."

Locker Room Tensions?

Beyond individual performances, the Lakers face another pressing concern: team cohesion. Following the loss to the Heat, Davis emphasized the importance of staying unified:

"We can’t allow ourselves to split apart. We need to stay together and make sure things don’t spiral into outcomes we don’t want."

Head coach Darvin Ham echoed these sentiments, admitting the team lacked the right mindset and professionalism during the Heat game. He announced plans for both team-wide and individual meetings to address the issues and prevent further discord.

A Tough Western Conference

The Lakers’ current record of 12-10 places them ninth in the Western Conference. While they are only 4.5 games behind the first-place Thunder, they are just two games ahead of the 12th-place Kings. In a hyper-competitive West, where teams like the Warriors can tumble from first to seventh in a matter of weeks, every game matters.

For the Lakers to climb the standings, they need Davis to return to his dominant form. With LeBron aging and the team’s roster offering limited room for improvement, much of the Lakers’ success depends on Davis rediscovering his early-season brilliance.

For now, all eyes are on AD as fans and analysts alike wonder: Can he regain the MVP-level dominance that once seemed inevitable?