Lakers' Anthony Davis Reportedly Willing to Play Center vs. Rockets

Anthony Davis may be heading back to the 5 against the Houston Rockets.

Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported Davis, who has long bristled at playing a full-time center role, is willing to make the adjustment if it helps the Lakers against Houston's small-ball lineups.

The Lakers tried to take advantage of their height advantage in Game 1 with a series of bully-ball post-ups that went nowhere. PJ Tucker's length and strength make him a stellar post defender despite his 6'5" height, and he gave the Lakers fits as they attempted to play through the block Friday. The Lakers shot just 42.2 percent from the floor, including an 11-of-38 rate from three as they tried to keep pace with Houston from distance.

"I don't know why people keep saying we're small," James Harden said. "I don't care if you're 7-feet. If you don't have heart, it doesn't matter. If you don't have dog in you, it doesn't matter. We've got guys that are able to switch and play different positions and guard different guys on the court. So it doesn't matter how tall you are. If you have the heart and you're a competitor, you're going to be out there on the court."

Davis played 37 minutes, while JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard combined for only 24, so Davis was nominally the center for a significant part of his night. Lakers lineups featuring Davis at the center spot aren't rare. Several of the Lakers' most-used units in the regular season featured Davis playing the 5, even though they consistently started a center.

This "willingness" on Davis' part may involve jettisoning McGee from the starting lineup in favor of Kyle Kuzma or Alex Caruso. Howard has been significantly more effective than McGee in the bubble, so odds are he'll remain part of the rotation, likely when Davis rests.

Davis is still going to see a healthy dose of Tucker, regardless of what "role" he's playing, so the adjustment may help the Lakers space the floor better.