Los Angeles Lakers center Anthony Davis reportedly isn’t wearing a boot on his injured foot, and the Lakers are exploring more opinions on how to handle his injury going forward.
"He's not wearing a boot on the foot currently. Right now, I'm told the team is continuing to seek second opinion, third opinion in order to figure out a course of action to get his foot right."@mcten with the latest on Anthony Davis' foot injury#LakeShow pic.twitter.com/PBlY39OIri
— 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧' 𝐍𝐁𝐀 (@_Talkin_NBA) December 21, 2022
It had previously been reported that Davis could be in danger of missing multiple months with the injury.
Obviously, if Davis misses more time, it would be a massive blow to the Lakers’ chances of making the playoffs this season. The team currently sits outside the play-in tournament in the Western Conference.
Los Angeles started the season just 2-10, but it had been playing better behind a series of strong games from Davis prior to him going down with the injury. Los Angeles has won 11 of its last 18 games, a much better pace than how it originally started the season.
This season, Davis is averaging 27.4 points, 12.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.1 blocks per game while shooting 59.3 percent from the field. He’s been one of the best players in the NBA, so it’s extremely unfortunate to see his season derailed by injury.
It’s possible the Lakers are seeking more opinions on Davis’ foot with the hope that he can return to the lineup sooner rather than later.
Injuries have really crushed Davis over the past few seasons, and the Lakers have suffered because of it. Los Angeles hasn’t won a playoff series since the 2019-20 NBA Finals, and the team missed the playoffs in the 2021-22 season entirely.
Davis appeared in just 40 games last season and 36 during the 2020-21 campaign. The Lakers will lean more on Thomas Bryant in the frontcourt with Davis out of the lineup.
The real pressure will be put on LeBron James and Russell Westbrook to keep the Lakers afloat. Even if Davis only misses a month, the team is going to have to hang around the play-in tournament picture to truly make a run for a playoff spot.
It’s possible the Lakers could make a trade as well, but the team may wait until it has a more definitive timeline for Davis’ return before pulling the trigger.
The Lakers will be without Davis on Wednesday night when they take on the Sacramento Kings in Sacramento.
