Watch Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers live on Sky Sports Arena in the early hours of Thursday morning (1:45am), full replay at 8am
Wednesday 30 September 2020 12:56, UK
Skills coach Gary Maitland explains why Anthony Davis is the Los Angeles Lakers' 'ultimate weapon' in the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat.
The stage is set. The Lakers, the arguably expected Western Conference champions, are ready to go in a best-of-seven Finals series against Eastern Conference underdogs the Miami Heat.
LeBron James will have Miami's full attention, However, the ultimate weapon the Lakers have on their roster is Anthony Davis. The 6ft 10in highly-skilled big man adds value all over the court.
Davis has a beautifully-controlled soft touch around the basket, allowing him to score from difficult angles.
In the mid-post, he has a solid mid-range jump shot with a high released that makes it difficult to contest. When you combine that with his incredible footwork and composure, he is able to identify a defender's weakness, select and appropriate move from his 'skill bank' and go to work.
Defensively, Davis will be an absolute nightmare for Miami.
He uses his length, athleticism and perfectly-timed anticipation to disrupt passes and force bad shots.
And the result of trying to finish at the rim with Davis around? Usually, a failed shot attempt.
Check out more from Coach Maitland as he breaks down the skills of more elite NBA players:
Click the video at the top of the page to watch Coach Maitland's analysis of Anthony Davis' dominant two-way game
