Davis feels they benefited from hiatus

LOS ANGELES – The sudden suspension of the NBA season was a double disappointment for Anthony Davis.

“It happened on my birthday, which is kind of a bummer because I couldn’t do anything,” the Los Angeles Lakers’ seven-time All-Star big man said with a laugh.

Davis turned 27 on March 11 when the NBA shut down amid the coronavirus pandemic. After a few homebound months spent largely improving his video game skills, Davis is back at work as the Lakers attempt to achieve their interrupted goals.

Davis, LeBron James and the Lakers are gathered for individual workouts this week in preparation for their trip to Orlando, where they’re among the favorites to win it all in this extraordinary NBA season. The Lakers (49-14) were leading the Western Conference and preparing for their first playoff run together when everything stopped.

Davis still loves the Lakers’ chances of contending for the franchise’s 17th championship.

“Actually, I think our chances are higher, just because we’re all rested and we’re all ready to go,” Davis said Thursday in his first extensive public comment since March. “If anything, our chances got higher, and it’s going to be about just who wants it more.”

The time off was a particular benefit for Davis, who mostly played through his usual assortment of nagging injuries during his first season after engineering a trade from New Orleans to the Lakers so he could improve his chances of winning a ring. Davis had problems with his elbow, tailbone and shoulder at various points of this season, but they’re all memories now.