Anthony Davis’ availability for the Los Angeles Lakers when they play the Atlanta Hawks on Monday is now a big question mark following his injury during Saturday’s clash with the Golden State Warriors.
Davis sustained a left eye injury during the game and had to leave as the Lakers fell to the Warriors in a bizzare game.
Los Angeles Lakers’ Anthony Davis Suffers Eye Injury
During the first quarter of the game, Davis hurt his left eye after Warriors rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis inadvertently hit him with his elbow. While AD was able to continue playing after that, he was eventually ruled out after the first quarter as his eye kept bothering him.
The Lakers called Davis’ injury a corneal abrasion, but they didn’t provide further details on the issue after the game. The All-Star big man also left the arena early and didn’t talk to reporters.
While the Purple and Gold have yet to determine his status for their next game against the Hawks, reports claim that the team will monitor him overnight and throughout Sunday before making a decision. His left eye is also said to be not in the best condition as it remains swollen, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
“Davis’ vision was impaired and his eye was swollen shut after the contact, a source familiar with the injury told ESPN. He will be monitored overnight and Sunday to determine his availability Monday against the Atlanta Hawks,” McMenamin wrote.
While the Lakers would likely want to give Davis some rest and let his eye heal, they are in quite the tricky position. After all, with less than 20 games left on the season, they need to win as much games as they can from here on out to qualify for the playoffs.
Los Angeles Lakers in Trouble Amid Anthony Davis Injury
The Los Angeles Lakers’ loss to the Golden State Warriors on Saturday was already a massive blow to their playoff hopes, as they now drop to 36-32 in the standings–10th in the West, barely making it in the Play-In spots.
They are now two and half games behind the Dallas Mavericks for the eighth seed and three and half behind the Phoenix Suns for the sixth seed.
LeBron James and Co. need to finish as a sixth seed at least to automatically qualify for the postseason. If they end up between the seventh to 10th seed, they will be in the Play-In, which is a difficult position to be in considering how hungry other teams are.
Sure enough, Davis’ absence won’t help in their bid to further climb the standings. For now, LA fans can only hope for the best.
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