The Los Angeles Lakers suffered a close loss to the Miami Heat on Monday night, but the bigger concern was the health of their star forward Anthony Davis, who left the game early with a hip injury. Davis said he will be fine and expects to play in the next game, but his injury could have a significant impact on the Lakersā season.
Lakers vs. Heat Game Recap
Lakers fall to Heat after Anthony Davisā injury
The Lakers were trailing by 13 points in the third quarter when Davis collided with Heat center Bam Adebayo and fell to the floor, clutching his left hip. He was helped to the locker room and did not return to the game. The Lakers rallied in the fourth quarter behind LeBron James, who scored 30 points, but came up short as the Heat held on for a 108-107 victory.Ā The Lakers dropped to 3-4 on the season, while the Heat improved to 3-4.
LeBron Jamesā performance
James was the lone bright spot for the Lakers, as he carried the offensive load with Davis out. He shot 11-of-19 from the field, including 4-of-8 from three-point range, and added four rebounds and three assists. He also hit a clutch three-pointer with 16 seconds left to cut the Heatās lead to one point, but the Lakers could not get a stop on the other end. James was frustrated with the loss and the officiating, as he felt the Lakers did not get enough calls in their favor.
Anthony Davisā Injury and Status
Davisā leave from the game
Davis was having a quiet night before his injury, scoring only nine points on 4-of-11 shooting and grabbing six rebounds in 23 minutes. He was matched up against Adebayo, who had a monster game with 22 points, 20 rebounds, and 10 assists. Davis said he felt a sharp pain in his hip after the collision and could not move it. He tried to walk it off, but realized he could not continue playing.
Initial reports of hip spasms
The Lakers announced that Davis had spasms in his left hip and that he was questionable to return, but he never came back to the bench. After the game, Davis said he did not have any X-rays or MRI scans, but he was confident that it was nothing serious. He said he would ice his hip and get some treatment from the teamās trainer. He also said he did not think he would miss any game time because of the injury.
Davisā Expectations for Next Game
Will he miss any game time?
Davis said he expects to play in the next game against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday. He said he would see how his hip feels in the morning and go from there. He said he did not want to sit out any games, especially with the Lakers struggling to find their rhythm early in the season. He said he would do whatever it takes to help the team win.
Regular season performance
Davis has been playing well for the Lakers this season, averaging 21.2 points, 14.1 rebounds, 3.3 blocks, and 1.4 steals per game. He has been a dominant force on both ends of the floor, leading the league in blocks and ranking second in rebounds. He has also been shooting 53.0 percent from the field and 81.8 percent from the free-throw line. He has been the Lakersā best player and a key part of their championship aspirations.
Conclusion
The Lakers hope that Davisā hip injury is not a serious one and that he can play in the next game. Davis is optimistic that he will be fine and that he will not miss any time. However, his injury could be a cause for concern for the Lakers, who need him to be healthy and productive for the rest of the season. Davis is one of the best players in the NBA and a vital piece of the Lakersā puzzle. Without him, the Lakers would have a hard time competing with the top teams in the league.
