Following Jamal Murray’s heart-wrenching buzzer-beating game-winner against the LA Lakers over Anthony Davis , George Karl felt compelled to fire shots at the 9-time All-Star for his inclusion in the NBA 75 Team over Alex English , who spent 11 seasons in Denver.
Did Alex English deserve a place over Anthony Davis?
This move from the HoF Coach was intended to stoke the flames within the Nuggets fans, highlighting how a former star player of theirs didn’t receive the same level of respect as AD. But does Karl ’s assertion stand still in hot water?
English was one of the premier small forwards in the league during the ‘80s, reaching his peak while donning the Nuggets jersey. He earned all eight of his career All-Star appearances over his 11-year tenure with the franchise. Moreover, in ten of those seasons, ‘Flick’ featured in at least 80 games in the regular season, even winning the scoring title in the 1982-83 season.
On the flip side, while Karl might find AD’s inclusion surprising, there’s hardly any denying that the Brow deserved a spot in the NBA 75 Team. Over his 12-year NBA career so far, Davis has not only earned an All-Star nod and All-NBA Team selection more than English but has also solidified himself as one of the most dominant two-way big men in the league. Leading the league in blocks thrice, along with averaging 24.1 points and 10.6 rebounds per game, justifies this notion.
Moreover, clinching an NBA championship elevates him to an entirely different category.
Davis’ legacy can be determined in this series against the Nuggets
Similar to Karl, many are currently questioning AD’s legacy as a dominant big man and whether he is truly capable of leading the Lakers as their No. 1 player. Despite averaging 32.0 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks across the two games against the Nuggets, which outperforms Nikola Jokic's averages of 29.0 points, 16.0 rebounds, and 2.0 steals in the series, Davis hasn't made the same impact as The Joker.
For him to shut his critics down, the 9-time All-Star needs to not just make sure that he is making an impact on both ends of the floor but, more importantly, his team goes on to break their losing streak against the defending champions and win Game 3 in LA.
Related: Magic Johnson says that the Lakers' Game 1 loss was not on LeBron and AD: "Just like I said the other day, the guards had to play well"
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