NBA Today: 5 Greatest shot blockers in the league right now

#2 Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers)

Miami Heat v New Orleans Pelicans

Apart from the drama that was Anthony Davis’ life, this past season in New Orleans with all the free agency opt-out rumors that eventually became a trade to the Lakers finalized last weekend, he is an outstanding player in many facets of the game. Everyone knows about the scoring, 25.9 ppg and the 12 rpg, and the fact that he is a double-double machine.

What Davis also brings to the table is elite rim protection. Slashers and cutters had better own a good pull up jump shot or runners and floaters to avoid attracting a swat from AD if he's in the vicinity. In 2019, he averaged 2.4 bpg in 59 games.

As a matter of fact, Davis has been averaging 2 or more blocks a game for the last six years of his seven-year career.

The Pelicans were a bad team in 2018/19 and gave up 116.8 ppg to opponents while scoring just 115.4 ppg themselves. Their games would have been less competitive if AD did not change the flight path of 135 opposing shots.