OAKLAND — The Golden State Warriors are afraid of Anthony Davis.
And that, make no mistake, is exactly how Steve Kerr likes it.
Of all the things the Warriors coach learned from the great Gregg Popovich over the years, the concept of "appropriate fear" and the vital role it plays in the championship journey is clearly on his short list. As Kerr wrote in 2007, it's "the theory that unless you are a little bit afraid of your opponent, you're not going to have the necessary edge to win a basketball game."
Davis, the New Orleans Pelicans' star whose 35 points, seven rebounds and four blocks weren't enough in a 106-99 Warriors win to open this first-round match-up, scares the hell out of these Warriors.