Every NBA team’s greatest enforcer of all time

LOS ANGELES - 1987: Bill Laimbeer #40 of the Detroit Pistons looks on during a game against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Great Western Forum in Los Angeles, California in the 1987-1988 NBA season. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES - 1987: Bill Laimbeer #40 of the Detroit Pistons looks on during a game against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Great Western Forum in Los Angeles, California in the 1987-1988 NBA season. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images) /
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Ezra O. Shaw/Allsport
Ezra O. Shaw/Allsport /

Toronto Raptors — Antonio Davis

If Dave Cowens and Kenyon Martin were undersized centers (both listed at 6-foot-9 and 230 pounds) then Antonio Davis was UNDERSIZED at 6-foot-9 and 215 pounds. And yet, despite being 15 pounds lighter, he played the center position all the same, holding his own through the mid-90s into the 2000s.

Davis was a dependable anchor for the Raptors, a true banger down low. He played five seasons for Toronto and helped lead the Raptors to their first playoff berth in franchise history and first-ever playoff series win. Davis was even an All-Star in 2001. And it was a big deal when he re-signed with Toronto after previous Raptors stars Damon Stoudamire and Tracy McGrady both forced their way out of town.

Later on in his career with the Bulls, Davis got into a fight with Brendan Haywood during a preseason game. Even later in 2006 when he was with the Knicks, Davis jumped over the scorer’s table to go up into the stands to confront a heckling fan who he thought was threatening his wife. No punches were thrown, but he was suspended five games by Commissioner David Stern, and it likely wasn’t more because Davis at the time was the President of the Players Association.