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Anthony Davis has finally earned the chance to shine in his first NBA Finals appearance, so the Los Angeles Lakers star vowed to embrace the feeling of playing in a big time moment.
“I’ve always wanted to have that feeling, have that moment, have that pressure on me,” he said.
It wasn’t an easy road for Davis. Before joining the Lakers in 2019, the top overall pick of the 2012 NBA Draft has only made it to the NBA playoffs twice and never made it past the second round.
“It bothered me a lot because at the end of the day, I wanna win,” Davis said in a recent interview with ESPN’s Rachel Nichols.
“I wanna be able to compete for championships on a consistent basis. I wanna be able to have those battles with the league’s elite and I have the opportunity to do so this year.”
Prior to this season, Davis’ closest run to an NBA Finals appearance came in 2018 when his New Orleans Pelicans fell to eventual champions, Golden State Warriors, 4-1, in the Western Conference semifinals.
“Playing against that stacked Golden State team in 2018, I know what that feeling was like playing against elite players in a big time situation, big time moment,” he said.
“But to do it on a consistent basis, and to do it in later rounds, in the Western Conference Finals and the Finals, that’s where it really kicks in, and really where you can make a name for yourself.”
Now, the 27-year old Davis has the golden opportunity to truly make a name for himself, and capture his first ever NBA title with the Lakers as they face the Miami Heat in the 2020 NBA Finals.
“You don’t get this moment all the time. There are a lot of players who haven’t been to the NBA Finals,” added Davis, a member of this year’s All-NBA first team and All-Defensive first team.
Davis currently leads the Lakers in points this postseason, averaging close to 29 points to go along with 9.6 boards per game.
Game 1 of the best-of-seven series between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat kicks off on Thursday, October 1 at 9 am (Philippine time). – Martin Mendoza/Rappler.com
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