Will Lakers Anthony Davis play against New Orleans Pelicans today, April 16?
The Los Angeles Lakers the New Orleans Pelicans will square off in the opening Play-In game tonight, and they will have their All-Star center available.
The seventh seed is up for grabs tonight from New Orleans as the Pelicans and Lakers square off to open the Play-In Tournament tonight from the Smoothie King. The Lakers are rolling heading into the postseason, and despite a few doubts about Anthony Davis’ status for the game, he will play tonight.
Lakers eyeing seven seed
Anthony Davis was downgraded to questionable coming into tonight with the Lakers citing back spasms. If you watched the game against the Pelicans in the regular season finale, you saw Davis go to the bench wincing and holding his lower back before laying flat on the floor in attempts to stretch it out.
LA’s big man poured in 30 points and grabbed 11 rebound on a night that the Lakers dominated the Pelicans to set up a rematch in New Orleans tonight. Up by more than 20 with just over 2:00, Davis was still in the game and went to go set a screen but pulled up after not being touched. He went to the locker room and didn’t return to the game.
When asked about his status for tonight’s game in the hours following the injury, he said there is “no doubt” he will play, but the Lakers downgrading him to questionable a day before tip off. Davis will suit up against the Pelicans, but only time will tell if those back spasms continue to bother him in the first of a potential two Play-In games.
Davis having healthiest season
The back spams couldn’t have flared up at a worse time for Davis who has had the healthiest season of his career. He played in 76 of the 82 regular season games, the most of his career, and looked to be in fantastic shape heading into the postseason.
Davis has had history with untimely injuries, and if the big man is still dealing with the effects of the injury picked up Sunday that will make life awfully tough for him and for the Lakers chances to make a deep playoff run like they did last year.
Davis is averaged 21 points and 12 rebounds in the Lakers four games against the Pelicans, and is posting 24.5 points, 12.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists a game this year. LeBron James is also listed on the injury report, but is listed as probable with a minor ankle injury that James has been dealing with all season.