The Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Phoenix Suns on the road on Sunday afternoon, bringing their record after the All-Star break to a disappointing 1-2. They played from behind for almost the whole game. Davis ended with a respectable 22 points and 14 rebounds, but he got off to a very slow start in this game. This was one of the main reasons the Lakers were behind early in their loss to the Suns.

Still, when asked about Davis’s play after the game, fellow Lakers starter Austin Reaves went on the defensive, saying that the big man’s presence was still felt even though his shot wasn’t falling in the first half.

It was a slow start for him, but what he needs on the court—the attention, the defensive effort, the shots that aren’t going in— He said, “I don’t think AD can have a ‘horrible’ half just because of what he means defensively,” according to Lakers Nation on X, the social media site that used to be called Twitter.

As Reaves said, it’s important to note that Anthony Davis’s presence on the court creates many chances for his Lakers teammates, including Reaves, who had a good day on Sunday, even when Davis isn’t hitting the ball very well.

Stephen Curry helps his friends on the Golden State Warriors get open shots. The Lakers would benefit from Anthony Davis continuing to shoot even if he isn’t making many shots.