AD explains inconsistent production during 2023 playoffs originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis clearly is one of the best players in the NBA playoffs, though his production has been inconsistent, to say the least.
Davis was asked about his unpredictable stat lines after Game 3 on Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena and revealed that he has not been on social media lately to see the hubbub surrounding his strange game-to-game inconsistencies.
"It's crazy, somebody just asked me this question in the locker room and I said, 'It's a make-or-miss league,' " Davis told reporters after the game. "The same shots I hit Game 1, I hit Game 2. I hit Game 1, I miss Game 2. Same shots I hit Game 2, I hit Game 3. I miss Game 2, I hit Game 3.
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"So I just look at it as I miss shots."
For context, Davis is averaging 27.8 points on 57 percent shooting from the field and is grabbing 16.8 rebounds per game in every odd-numbered game in the 2023 NBA playoffs.
In even-numbered games, however, Davis is averaging 13.0 points and 10.3 rebounds per game on 40.4 percent shooting from the field.
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The difference is astronomical and was most recently seen in the last two games against the Warriors. In Golden State's Game 2 rout of Los Angeles, Davis scored 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds in 33 minutes of action.
In Game 3, it was a different story: Davis scored 25 points -- on 70 percent shooting from the field -- and grabbed 13 rebounds in the same amount of minutes.
The 30-year-old big man explained that he doesn't change his routine from game to game and that there's no reason as to why his numbers fluctuate so much.
"I didn't do anything differently, I didn't change anything up so it is what it is," Davis continued. "I go out and try to compete to the best of my ability every night, to help the team win and sometimes it doesn't work out that way when we win, but I know, especially at this time of the year, I leave it all out on the floor and that's all I can do."
With Game 4 of the Warriors-Lakers series scheduled for Monday night, Davis is bound to fall back to the mean, if the current trend continues.
And if that is the case, the Warriors happily will take that lack of production from Davis as they look to even out the Western Conference semifinals at two games apiece.
