The Lakers have been very careful ever since Anthony Davis returned to the lineup. After injuring his feet, AD missed several games since last December. But then he made a strong comeback leading the Lakers from the front in the King’s absence. Albeit, the Lakers’ head coach Darvin Ham mentioned that they are not willing to put too much strain on AD’s feet.
Anthony Davis is not totally fit with the feet injury still active. This condition has led the team to progress with caution. The Lakers won’t have Davis in back-to-back games to give him a bit of rest. But this strategy did not work in the game against the Rockets, as the Lakers faced a shocking defeat. It got very clear that the team needs Anthony Davis as much as he can play.
Lakers’ Anthony Davis Is Not Totally Fit
After beating the Suns last night, the Lakers only have nine games to go. There is a back-to-back schedule in April, and the fans were hoping Davis would play in those games if he could walk pain-free. In April, the Lakers face the Jazz and the Clippers in a back-to-back schedule. Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes predicts that Anthony Davis might play those back-to-back games if everything goes according to plan.
AD’s feet are not showing rapid improvement, so there is no 100% chance that he will make the lineup in both games. But if Davis does not suffer any more injuries, then he must be available. The Lakers would not want him to sit out for any more games. Only nine games remain in the regular season. After the win against the Suns, the Lakers climbed to the 10th seed again. But they need to carry the momentum. Apparently, the Lakers need a streak desperately to keep hopes alive.
Head Coach Darvin Ham Gave A Confusing Update On AD
Head Coach Darvin Ham gave a cryptic response when asked about AD’s availability for the rest of the season. Ham mentioned that they have some options ready if things don’t work out as they would want. Now, who can decipher this response must be a genius. There can be different possibilities for the meaning of the not-so-straightforward answer. There are a few more games to take care of before the games against the Jazz and the Clippers. The Lakers will need Anthony Davis for every one of these games. And the active injury on AD’s feet that resulted from stress last December can relapse anytime. Hence, Ham is looking at replacements on the bench and needs them to be ready.
Indeed the remaining nine games are very crucial to confirm their place in the postseason. LeBron James can tentatively return for a few games of the regular season in April. But there is no guarantee of that actually happening. Hence, it is a smart decision to keep replacements ready for Anthony Davis. The win against the Suns must encourage the team greatly because the Lakers had a long losing streak against this opponent. The Suns are currently fourth placed, so beating them must give a lot of confidence to the purple and gold brigade.
