Los Angeles Lakers

Return of the Brow: Can Anthony Davis save Lakers' season?

Updated Jul. 28, 2023 11:02 a.m. ET

By Justin Morris
Special to FOX Sports

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — LeBron James lunged in front of a James Harden pass, hastily secured the basketball and sped off like a track star toward the opposite end.

James then punched home a thunderous windmill jam that sent the Brooklyn crowd into a frenzy. Seconds later, the arena erupted once more as James exploded for another enormous dunk, this time using two hands following a second consecutive takeaway.

James' pair of rim-rockers were the highlights of the Lakers' 106-96 victory over the Nets on Tuesday. James was brilliant as usual, scoring 33 points on 14-of-21 shooting with seven rebounds and six assists. It was his 18th straight game scoring at least 25 points, dating to mid-December.

More importantly, his pair of steals-turned-dunks encapsulated Los Angeles' defensive tenacity throughout the night. As a unit, the Lakers forced 18 turnovers while collecting 12 steals and eight blocks.

According to James, the team's dialed-up defense — and his two picturesque dunks — came thanks in large part to Anthony Davis' return to the lineup.

'With a healthy A.D., Lakers have a puncher's chance' –– Chris Broussard

Chris Broussard talks Anthony Davis' performance and how much his return helps the Lakers' chances in the Western Conference.

"When you have a potential Defensive Player of the Year every year, you can definitely get away with some things you wouldn't try when he's not on the floor," James said postgame regarding Davis, who missed 17 games after suffering a sprained MCL on Dec. 17.

"You know you have the protection behind you, and you take more chances because of that. His presence alone is impactful."

Davis' defensive impact was unmistakable, as evidenced by his game-high four blocks. He also added a steal.

But, as usual, a large portion of his defensive imprint wasn't reflected on the stat sheet. On Tuesday, Davis was potent in the paint, providing weak-side help to a platoon that suffered mightily without it, and he deflected or altered several field-goal attempts inside. He also displayed his rangy dexterity, shifting along the perimeter and switching as needed to deter the likes of Harden, Patty Mills and Cam Thomas.

Davis' ability to hold his own in matchups both big and small gave the Lakers a more seamless flow as a unit.

"He adds so much more length to our defense and makes our team so much more complete," James said. "Our length defensively, our ability to really get up in people's faces because we know we've got him at the rim, our ability to switch a lot of things [changes] because he can literally guard 1 through 5."

And that's just on the defensive side.

Offensively, the Brow's skill set is unicorn-like. It's rare to see a man his size (6-foot-10, 253 pounds) with the combination of dexterity, skill and savvy that he possesses. When he's at full strength, he's a nightmare matchup for most opponents, and he showed flashes of that against the Nets.

Frank Vogel went to A.D. right away after L.A. took the opening tip. The Lakers' coach called a pick-and-roll for Davis and James, which culminated in Davis ripping down a tough, right-handed slam for the team's first points.

It spurred his confidence the rest of the night, and he dug deeper into his bag of tricks, showing an array of post and face-up moves despite an only eight-point performance.

It wasn't much to start, but A.D. has long proven that he's more than capable of posting big scoring numbers. For now, he's focused on regaining his rhythm and getting back into the flow.

"I wasn't trying to get into too many isolations or force shots," Davis said. "[I was] just trying to screen, roll and put guys in position where the entire team can be successful."

As far as his knee, he said he isn't concerned that it will hamper him moving forward.

"For the most part I felt fine, felt great out there," he said. "The first couple of minutes, adrenaline took over. After that went away, the wind caught up to me. When I got the second wind, I was fine for the rest of the game.

"I don't think about [my knee] when I'm playing. If I feel like I have to babysit it, then I shouldn't be on the floor. When I'm out there, I just try to do what I have to do to help the team win and let the rest take care of itself. I just play."

James, meanwhile, is just glad to have his sidekick back.

"Offensively, it attracts another set of eyes off of myself, Russ, Melo, Malik, everybody, because he's such a dynamic player and playmaker," he said. "Right away, you see what he's capable of. We drew up a play to start the game, and I was able to turn the corner. I threw a late lob, and he was still able to throw it home."

James didn't mince words about what Davis means to the team's ambitions for the remainder of the season. Remember, the Lakers came into this season with championship aspirations.

"The only way we're going to win ballgames is with him," James said. "I think we have a really good team, and when we're at full strength, we can be really good. We're excited to have him."

Davis serves as a dependable anchor for a defense that visibly lacks one without him in the lineup. L.A.'s defensive rating is in the top 10 league-wide (108 points allowed per game) when Davis plays and the bottom 10 when he doesn't (110.4). He's also an elite glass cleaner, ranking near the top of the NBA in rebounds per game (he's averaging 9.6 this season, while L.A.'s 49.2 rebound rate is 22nd in the league).

Even before the knee injury, Davis was struggling to produce with the consistency he showed in past seasons. He currently boasts career lows in both free-throw percentage (73%) and 3-point percentage (17.5%). He ranked dead last among eligible players in the latter category prior to his injury.

Still, he has managed to sustain a scoring average north of 20 PPG (22.8), and he'll remain a key cog in L.A.'s offensive scheme as it continues to meld its "Big 3."

LeBron James is LeBron James, and fans have come to understand what to expect from Russell Westbrook on any given night.

Davis is the enigmatic X-factor for the Lakers. His performance from here on out could be –– better yet, will be –– the difference between the realization of their preseason title prospects and bitter disappointment.

Justin Morris is a topics editor and contributor to FOXSports.com. In addition to his work for FOX, he has covered local sports for NJ.com, contributed to the New York Times and had bylines with SB Nation and FanSided. Follow him on Twitter @Justin_JM12.