Anthony Davis Sees Eastern Conference Team As 'Threat'

The Western Conference is already loaded with teams that will give the Los Angeles Lakers a run for their money, but for their resident power forward Anthony Davis, an Eastern Conference powerhouse could spoil their plans for a repeat this season.

The Brooklyn Nets changed the landscape of the Eastern Conference after engineering a blockbuster four-team trade with the Houston Rockets to unite James Harden with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

With the Nets starting to develop some chemistry following the acquisition of Harden, many pundits now see the Steve Nash-coached franchise as one of the favorites to make it to the Promised Land this year.

ESPN’s Rachel Nichols recently had a one-on-one interview with Davis, where the 27-year-old views touted the Nets as a “threat” due to the offensive prowess of the newly-formed trio.

"It's a threat. They're definitely a threat," he said. "They're a team that can score, score at will. They're a good team, and I think they're the favorites in the East now since [Harden] went over there. So it's going to be a fun battle. That's definitely going to be a battle."

Davis is having another remarkable season playing alongside LeBron James. The seven-time All-Star ranks second on the team's individual stat sheet with 21.9 points per outing to go along with 52.2% shooting.

Most recently, the Lakers broke their two-game losing skid by beating the Boston Celtics with a 96-95 victory.

Though the squad is seeded No. 3 in the West, Davis believes that there is no room for complacency.

"Everybody wants to be the champions," he stated. "That's the toughest part. And now you appreciate — when we were playing, it was like, 'Man, the Warriors are a cheat code. Man, these guys, they're just winning. They're adding players.' But now, as a champion, you come out this year, you really appreciate [it].”

"Like, 'Man, those guys, that was tough what they did.' That was very tough, to come out and repeat, and even back when Shaq [O'Neal] and Kobe [Bryant] three-peated, it was tough to see what those guys did, especially when you have this target on your back."

Davis and the Lakers will face the Nets on February 18 at the Staples Center.