Anthony Davis out indefinitely with unspecified stress injury
Anthony Davis has been key for the Lakers in another frustrating season so far, and they will now have to cope without him.
Los Angeles Lakers center Anthony Davis will remain on the sidelines indefinitely after testing revealed a stress injury in his right foot. The team announced the news on Friday on Twitter to update the status of their star big man, who has been out since landing awkwardly during a game against the Denver Nuggets on 16 December. The Lakers had previously listed Davis on theIR injury report as suffering “right foot soreness”.
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A stress injury is part of a spectrum of ailments, the most severe of which is considered a stress fracture. Such an injury would take between six and eight weeks to heal. The club did not comment on the severity of Davis’ condition or give a timetable for his return, saying only that further updates “will be provided when appropriate.”
New setback for the Lakers
The news is devastating for a 13-18 Lakers team that faces an uphill battle just qualify for the play-in tournament in the Western Conference. After a dismal 2-10 start to the season, the Lakers followed with a 10-6 surge, thanks largely to MVP-quality production from Davis. The eight-time All-Star averaged 30.8 points and 13.3 rebounds over that stretch while shooting 63.9 per cent from the floor. During that run, Davis scored 55 points in a win over the Washington Wizards, his most since joining the Lakers in 2019 and the second most of his career.
Already with a top-heavy roster, Los Angeles will now rely even more on 37-year-old LeBron James and 34-year-old Russell Westbrook.
The Lakers host the Charlotte Hornets on Friday and will be part of the NBA’s annual Christmas Day lineup when they visit the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday.