Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

Injury hurt Lakers' Davis from distance last year

Written by 
Published in Basketball
Thursday, 29 September 2022 06:49

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- On the Los Angeles Lakers' road to the title in 2020, Anthony Davis showed the full versatility of his game, shooting close to 40% from 3 in the playoffs in the NBA bubble.

Last season, Davis' outside shot fell off a cliff, with his 3-point percentage plummeting to 18.6%, contributing to the Lakers ranking 22nd in the league from beyond the arc.

It was a disappointing season overall for Davis, who missed 42 games because of knee and ankle injuries. He revealed Tuesday, after the Lakers' second day of training camp under new coach Darvin Ham, that he was dealing with a previously undisclosed ailment that affected his accuracy.

"A lot of people don't know this, but since January I was battling a wrist injury the whole year," Davis said. "So it was affecting my shot and everything. That's not an excuse but it was tough for me to shoot how I wanted to shoot. I couldn't really follow through."

How bad was it?

"I couldn't follow through," Davis said. "Anytime I followed through it was very painful. And I had to try do that over and over."

The Lakers center is confident that his approach to the offseason, which attracted some criticism in June when a video of Davis saying he hadn't shot a basketball since the regular season ended two months prior circulated on social media, was prudent. He needed to get his body right first before resuming skills training.

"I'm 100 percent healthy," Davis said. "I feel great. You can ask guys around here, I'm really shooting the ball. So, I'll be ready. Wherever coach puts me on the floor, midrange, post, perimeter, if I've got a shot, I'm going to shoot it."

While Ham has repeatedly said that fixing the Lakers' anemic defense is his No. 1 priority, Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka admitted this week that outside shooting remains an area of concern for the team as well.

"I think in terms of shooting, that's a needed skill," Pelinka said during Monday's media day. "Some of that can come from the outside, by additional roster moves or roster moves throughout the season. But shooting growth can also come from within, and we do feel like there are players on our team this year that you're going see that growth."

Ham mentioned Patrick Beverley, LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, Kendrick Nunn and rookies Max Christie and Scotty Pippen Jr. as standout shooters through the early part of camp.

Count Beverley as one of the players on the roster who is confident he can be dangerous from deep. When a reporter suggested to the veteran guard that his offensive role could include cuts to the basket this season, he quickly offered a retort.

"My numbers say I shoot 3s," said Beverley. "I don't know if I should be cutting. I don't know if your numbers say, you're a reporter or whatever. I don't know if you should be a fireman or anything, not with your job and title. You wouldn't want to do that, so I wouldn't want to cut."

Beverley pointed out that he shot 39% on catch-and-shoot 3s with Minnesota last season -- in the same range as Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors, who connected on 39.5% of his catch-and-shoot attempts.

"Numbers don't lie," Beverley said. "Elite catch-and-shoot 3-point shooter, obviously. My defense has always been at the forefront, because that's what people see. But when it comes down to the numbers, I shoot with the best of them in the league."

Read 196 times

Soccer

Napoli honor Maradona on anniversary of passing

Napoli honor Maradona on anniversary of passing

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNapoli fans and club officials paid tribute to Diego Maradona on th...

Ronaldo double bolsters Al Nassr's ACL place

Ronaldo double bolsters Al Nassr's ACL place

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsCristiano Ronaldo netted a pair of goals in Al Nassr's Asian Champi...

Raya warns Arsenal of 'in-form' Gyökeres' threat

Raya warns Arsenal of 'in-form' Gyökeres' threat

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsDavid Raya has warned his Arsenal teammates that Sporting CP forwar...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

Morant back for Grizzlies after missing 8 games

Morant back for Grizzlies after missing 8 games

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Ja Morant was in the lineup Monday night for the...

Rockets' VanVleet hit with $50K fine for tirade

Rockets' VanVleet hit with $50K fine for tirade

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsRockets guard Fred VanVleet was fined $50,000 by the NBA on Monday...

Baseball

Ex-big leaguer Chirinos joins O's as bench coach

Ex-big leaguer Chirinos joins O's as bench coach

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsBALTIMORE -- Robinson Chirinos replaced Fredi González on Monday as...

MLB alters Rays' schedule; 69 of last 103 on road

MLB alters Rays' schedule; 69 of last 103 on road

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- Major League Baseball switched a pair of series involvi...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated