Anthony Davis reportedly will receive more treatment on his injured hip before a decision is made if he will play for the Los Angeles Lakers against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night.
Anthony Davis said after this morning's shootaround that his hip feels better and that he plans on getting more treatment later today before a decision is made about his availability tonight vs. the Rockets.
— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) November 8, 2023
One good sign for his possible return tonight against the Rockets was a report from the Athletic’s Shams Charania.
“He said postgame that he expects to be on the court tonight in Houston, and I’m told the plan as of this morning is for Davis to play against the Rockets after undergoing tests Tuesday to make sure there was nothing structurally wrong with the injury,” wrote Charania.
Davis suffered from a lower-body spasm against the Miami Heat on Monday and was unavailable for the final 14 minutes of the 108-107 loss. He played almost 25 minutes and scored nine points with six rebounds and four assists.
The 30-year-old has appeared in all seven of the Lakers’ games this season and is averaging 23.9 points, 12.0 rebounds and 3.3 blocked shots per contest.
Los Angeles is entering the game with a 3-4 record, having lost two in a row after winning two straight. The up-and-down start to the season can in part be attributed to injuries that have challenged the team’s depth so far.
Rui Hachimura has been upgraded to AVAILABLE tonight for the Lakers
— Lakers Daily (@LakersDailyCom) November 8, 2023
Rui Hachimura reportedly has been cleared to return after missing four games while in concussion protocol, but the Lakers will again be without Gabe Vincent, Jarred Vanderbilt and Jalen Hood-Schifino against the Rockets.
Vincent is dealing with a knee injury. Vanderbilt has been out since the preseason with bursitis in his left heel. Hood-Schifino has yet to make his NBA debut because of a knee injury.
Taurean Prince was able to return to play on Monday after missing two games with a knee injury.
Though his current injury does not appear to be serious, the health status of Davis is always a consideration for the Lakers. He has played in more than 40 games only once in his past three seasons, appearing in 56 games last season.
The Lakers entered the season with a deep roster that was thought to be able to allow them to manage LeBron James’ workload in his 21st NBA season. Despite a stated desire to limit the 38-year-old superstar to about 29 minutes per game, he so far this season is averaging more than 35 minutes per outing.
One NBA executive is speculating that the Lakers may be looking to reunite with Alex Caruso, who left as a free agent to sign with the Chicago Bulls two years ago. It will be interesting to see if any further injuries will add to that possible pursuit.
