Lakers' LeBron James Praises Anthony Davis as NBA's DPOY After Win vs. Grizzlies

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James is convinced teammate Anthony Davis should be the 2020 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and he praised the power forward's contributions at that end of the floor after a terrific showing in Friday's win over the Memphis Grizzlies.

"He does everything," James told reporters. "He's able to protect the rim, he's able to guard in the post, he's able to switch out to guards. He's able to block shots when guys are shooting floaters and runners. Get steals. I mean, he does everything defensively for us. That's why he's Defensive Player of the Year. He just does everything for us, it's not one thing he doesn't do well defensively."

Davis, who missed most of the first quarter while having a calf injury evaluated, finished the game with 13 rebounds, seven blocks and a steal in 31 minutes. He also scored 28 points and dished out four assists at the offensive end in the Lakers' 117-105 victory.

The 26-year-old Chicago native said he's not playing for individual accolades, but he wouldn't mind adding the DPOY award to his rapidly growing resume.

"I'm not playing defense for that, but it is appealing. I mean, that award, I would love to have that award several times before I retire—which is not soon," Davis said. "[I am] just trying to set a standard for one, myself, and two, my team, on the defensive end and the rest of the guys will follow. ... I'm talking to guys, covering for guys and I think if I continue to do that I put myself in position to win that award."

Lakers head coach Frank Vogel called him the "best defender in the league from a versatility standpoint."

James previously lauded Davis' defense after he held the Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokic to 13 points on 4-of-12 shooting in a Lakers win in early December.

"He's been doing it all year," James said. "Playing through injuries, playing through illness like he did tonight. [He's the] Defensive Player of the Year, and he showed tonight once again playing one-on-one versus 'Joker' in the post. When there were switches, going on with Jamal Murray, playing one-on-one versus a small. Got stop after stop after stop. Just a monster game for him."

Davis isn't a lock to win the award, though. He figures to receive stiff competition from the Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo, Utah Jazz's Rudy Gobert and Cleveland Cavaliers' Andre Drummond, among others, during the stretch run of the regular season.