How to Guard Anthony Davis
Anthony does most of his damage from at the rim (42.2% of his attempts) and is a limited outside shooter you can sag off. The plan below is built from where he actually shoots this season.
Where Anthony scores
Share of his 2025-26 field-goal attempts by zone, with how efficiently he finishes each. This is the map the game plan is built on.
The scouting report: how to defend Anthony
Wall off the paint early
Anthony takes 42.2% of his shots at the rim and finishes 66% there. Build the wall before he turns the corner and force the ball back out rather than meeting him at the cup.
Contest the pull-up, do not over-help
A large share of his offense (22.2% of attempts) comes from the mid-range, where he shoots 37.8%. Stay attached and contest straight up. Loading up extra help off shooters just feeds a shot he already lives in.
Go under screens, sag into the paint
He is a lower-volume or below-average outside shooter (27% on 37 attempts). You can go under ball screens and sink into the paint to take away the drive and dare him to settle for the jumper.
Quiet edges on Anthony
- Scores 3.1 PPG more at home — more aggressive at home
- Highly volatile scorer — std dev of 9.4 PPG (coefficient of variation 0.46). Some nights 35, some nights 12. Game plan should account for both versions.
Get Anthony's full matchup plan
HoopBrief turns this shot profile into a complete plan: the exact coverage to run, positioning, what to take away first, and the mistake to avoid, in your own coaching lens. Ask it directly.
Frequently asked questions
How do you guard Anthony Davis?
Wall off the paint early: Anthony takes 42.2% of his shots at the rim and finishes 66% there. Build the wall before he turns the corner and force the ball back out rather than meeting him at the cup. Contest the pull-up, do not over-help: A large share of his offense (22.2% of attempts) comes from the mid-range, where he shoots 37.8%. Stay attached and contest straight up. Loading up extra help off shooters just feeds a shot he already lives in. Go under screens, sag into the paint: He is a lower-volume or below-average outside shooter (27% on 37 attempts). You can go under ball screens and si
What is Anthony Davis's biggest weakness on offense?
Relative to the rest of his shot diet, Anthony is least efficient on his three-point attempts (27% on 37 shots this season). Steering him toward that shot, rather than the ones he makes at a high rate, is the statistical edge.
Is Anthony Davis a good three-point shooter?
Anthony has taken 37 three-pointers this season and made 10 of them (27%). That share of his offense (11.1% of his attempts) is what decides whether you chase him over screens or sag under them.
How many points per game does Anthony Davis average?
Anthony is averaging 20.4 points per game this season, along with 2.8 assists and 11.1 rebounds. Scoring volume is why he draws the defensive game plan on this page.
How to guard other players
Shot-profile and box-score figures reflect Anthony Davis's 2025-26 season. Defensive recommendations are generated from that shot distribution and are teaching guidance, not a guarantee of outcome.