Anthony Davis Dominates for Team USA vs. Australia, Redick Explains Not Voting AD for All-Defense

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

The US Men's National Team typically has some games in their prep for Olympic competition that give people reason to worry. Monday vs. Australia, they had just that, squeaking by the Aussies by six. People didn't like the results, but if you're just focused on the Lakers, it's harder to complain. Anthony Davis once again had an excellent game in relatively short minutes.

17 points, 14 rebounds, two blocks in only 19 minutes. One again, Davis was making a bit of a statement, one that's positive for him not just because it can help change the conversation around him and the way he's talked about relative to other stars, but there's also real value for Davis in playing like one of the best players on a team filled with the best players. And while most Lakers fans will be holding their breath with every minute he (and LeBron James) is on the floor, as long as he's playing Davis (and by extension, Lakers fans) might as well get the highest level of benefit possible.

Should he start? Will he? Don't know, don't particularly care. If he dominates, and plays an important role for a team that wins big, that'll be a good result.

Meanwhile, the Summer Lakers continue to struggle. Some of the problem is structural. The Lakers don't have an efficient point guard, and in the context of Summer League play, that lack of on-floor organization can be difficult to overcome. Especially since the Lakers also lack guys who are good shot creators, outside Dalton Knecht, who has been forced into a LOT of tough shots but for the most part looks like a player who could be effective in the role he's expected to play in the regular season. Bronny James? Maxwell Lewis? Colin Castleton? These are all guys seeing different degrees of success (or, more often, non-success) but they're likely not going to contribute this year to the big club.

That the Lakers only have one player this summer who we might see in the rotation is worthy of discussion, but doesn't change the reality of what these performances mean vis-a-vis the regular season.

Finally, JJ Redick explained his thinking around Anthony Davis and awards voting. Does his logic hold?

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: Anthony Davis dominates again as Team USA struggles to impress.

SEGMENT 2: The value of a good Olympics for AD.

SEGMENT 3: Why the Summer Lakers are struggling.

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