The Los Angeles Lakers dismantled the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 6. The Purple and Gold imposed themselves early, and that hold never left. They handed the number 2 seed a 40-point defeat. It was a statement by the 17-time champions: they are on a mission. At the helm was Anthony Davis. The Laker big had a dominant series carrying the weight on both ends of the floor. Tonight, he was the driving force, playing with energy, power, and hustle. He proved to the NBA world that he can be the best player on the floor when healthy. Not only that, but he replicated something no Laker has been able to do since Shaquille O’Neal.

The Lakers advance to the second round and will face the winner of the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings. Whoever they come up against, they’ll be liking their chances of making the Conference Finals if they can maintain the level of performances that they had against the Grizzlies.

Anthony Davis speaks on his Shaquille O-Neal-like series performance

It was the perfect night in the City of Angels. A loud crowd roared each time the Lakers got a touch on the ball. If the noise of the crowd wasn’t enough to pressure the Grizzlies, Anthony Davis’ suffocating defense did the job. The Brow was everywhere tonight, hustling for loose balls, catching lobs, and swatting everything Memphis threw at the rim.

The stat sheet reads 16 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 blocks, but what Davis did was so much more. He disturbed Ja Morant and the Grizzlies to such an extent that they looked lost. His defensive intensity made them conscious of driving to the rim. As shots didn’t fall, further panic set in, and Memphis could never recover.

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After the game, a happy Anthony Davis spoke about being the dominant big man in this series. He accumulated 26 blocks in the series, the most for the Lakers since Shaq. When asked just what brought out this ferocity, AD’s answer was short and simple:

“I just try to compete. Protect my guys. I know that they pressure up on the ball. You got a guy who drives to the basket anytime he want in Ja. Jaren in the post, Bane can get to the basket. I just want to protect them, protect the rim and alter shots. I was able to block some and get our energy going on the defensive end.”

Tonight, Davis was the dangerous force that set the tone for a one-sided win for the Lakers. His defensive presence in the interior took away the Grizzlies’ biggest weapon: Ja Morant’s crafty scoring near the rim. He couldn’t fly to the basket like usual, nor could he get close without the outstretched hand of Anthony Davis blocking his shot.

This forced the Grizzlies to attack from the perimeter. While some shots fell, it wasn’t enough to curb the Lakers’ assault on the other end.

Memphis shot just 30% from the floor as AD unleashed his defensive command. On the other hand, the 2020 champions’ offense flowed smoothly like butter. D’Angelo Russell and LeBron James‘ efficient scoring gave the Lakers the edge. But it was Anthony Davis who single-handedly set a sense of fear in the Grizzlies.

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If this version of Davis can consistently turn up in the playoffs, do you think the Lakers can be stopped? Let us know your views in the comments below.