Anthony Davis has arguably been the best player for the Lakers since joining the team in the 2019-2020 season. He was the defensive backbone for the team during its COVID bubble championship and in every season since. He has also been the second-best offensive player for the Lakers (behind LeBron James), and this season, he has taken things to another level.
During the Lakers’ 115-103 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Monday, though, Davis aggravated an ankle injury that he’s been dealing with for some time.
“I will have to talk to my trainers to figure out what exactly is going on,” Davis said. “I’ve been managing it since this summer, honestly … Kind of just landed directly on the spot that’s been killing me. So we’ll figure it out.”
The Lakers desperately need Davis healthy to remain competitive in the bloodbath that is the Western Conference. Their sixth-ranked offense would take a huge hit without Davis’ 32.6 points a night, and their 25th-ranked defense cannot afford to get any worse.
Anthony Davis details the left ankle issue that affected him tonight. Sounds like he will have it looked at before determining his availability for the trip’s conclusion in Memphis. pic.twitter.com/45TPQ1AIjf
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) November 5, 2024
Davis is currently listed as day-to-day, per ESPN. With Davis’ status up in the air for the Lakers next game, the team will have to walk a fine line between staying competitive to start the season and making sure Davis’ injury doesn’t get worse.
Part of the reason Davis missing time could be so detrimental to the Lakers is because of how well he’s played early this season. Davis is currently leading the NBA in scoring. Through seven games this year, he is scoring more than players like Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
On top of his offensive production, he has and will continue to be what keeps the Lakers able to guard anyone on defense. James is more than a step or two slower than he was during his defensive prime, and the rest of the Lakers lineup is not known for its defensive abilities.
The biggest issue the Lakers would face if Davis is forced to miss time is that they simply don’t have big men to replace him. Jaxson Hayes has been decent at the backup center position, but he is averaging only five points in less than 15 minutes a game and isn’t known for his defensive presence.
The rest of the Lakers’ injury report is already full of the big men who would be helpful if Davis missed games. Jarred Vanderbilt, Christian Koloko and Christian Wood are all out for the foreseeable future and won’t be able to help a shorthanded Lakers frontcourt.
For now, the Lakers need to hope that Davis’ injury isn’t that serious and that he will be able to play through it without compromising his long-term health. If he does end up missing time, NBA big men across the league should start licking their chops because the Lakers’ interior is going to be very small.
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