NBA Awards Rankings: Rudy Gobert re-stakes claim on Defensive Player of the Year race

The Los Angeles Lakers have rebounded from a difficult start and now sit above .500 at 7-6. LeBron James continues to defy the standard effects of aging in a miraculous display of athletic function, but the 'best player' on the Lakers is probably Anthony Davis. At least, that was the consensus following LA's conference finals run last season.

It's a complicated equation, of course. LeBron is the primary ball-handler, the primary offensive engine. Davis' whole deal is that he's an elite No. 2 — maybe the best "No. 2" in the NBA due to his world-destroying defense, efficient rim finishing, and usefully flexible offensive skill set. Davis has a bad habit of offensive passivity, but when he's removed from the burden of expectations tied to his reputation, it's impossible to deny how impressive his output is.

Davis is one of the best defenders in the NBA. That has essentially been the case since his rookie year. He currently leads the NBA in blocks per game (3.5) with a career-high 8.4 block percentage. Blessed with broad shoulders, a gaping 7-foot-6 wingspan, and impeccable instincts, Davis is a singular rim deterrent and the foundation of LA's scheme.

Los Angeles has the flexibility to use Davis in various personnel groups — he spends the occasional stretch next another big, such as Christian Wood or Jaxson Hayes — but all evidence points toward center as Davis' best position for success, on both ends of the floor. He can step out to the perimeter and operate as a roamer, but he's at his best in the paint mucking up every ball screen action and stuffing drives.

If the Lakers' team defense progresses around Davis and their record keeps climbing, he's going to have a real chance to win. He may get a voting boost just from being Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers. That shouldn't be the case, but it's the world we live in.