Things are going from bad to worse for the Los Angeles Lakers so far this season, and while an upcoming game against the Sacramento Kings on Friday might serve as a chance for the team to get its third win of the season, that now seems increasingly unlikely.
LeBron James already has been ruled out for the game, and now it is being reported that Anthony Davis could also be absent in the matchup.
Davis is currently dealing with a non-COVID illness and questionable for the game.
Lakers say Anthony Davis (non-COVID illness) is QUESTIONABLE for tonight’s game vs. Sacramento
— Brad Turner (@BA_Turner) November 11, 2022
So far this season, Davis has managed to play in all but one game for the Lakers. He’s started in all 10 games that he’s suited up for thus far.
He’s been putting up solid numbers, averaging 23.0 points, 10.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. Though he’s shooting 54.1 percent from the field, he’s struggled mightily from deep and hitting just 26.7 percent of his 3-point shots.
Moreover, fans and experts alike have noticed that Davis does not appear to be nearly as explosive on the offensive side of things as he has been in the past. Many believe that it is a sign that the University of Kentucky product, who has dealt with a wide array of injuries over the last two seasons, is no longer the player he once was.
An alternate cause for that lack of explosiveness is that the Lakers are currently asking him to play at center. Davis has made it clear that he prefers to play at the power forward spot, but the Lakers simply don’t have the roster makeup to make that possible at the moment.
It’s just another sign that critics point to when talking about the failures of Rob Pelinka and the rest of the team’s front office.
Hopefully, Davis is able to go for the upcoming contest. If he is unable to do so, it will be interesting to see if Lakers head coach Darvin Ham makes further changes to the starting lineup beyond just replacing James and Davis on the floor.
It wouldn’t be a shock if Ham inserted Russell Westbrook back into the starting five. After all, if Davis and James both miss the game, Westbrook is certainly the most talented player left in the available rotation.
Friday’s contest is scheduled to tip off at 7:30 p.m. PST.
