In the absence of the King, the Lakers are looking up to Anthony Davis to lead the side to the postseason. Even in the last season, AD took it on his shoulders to carry the team throughout the season. As James missed a lot of matches due to an injury. Albeit last season the Lakers could not go very far. But LeBron James had several times in the past that he really wanted to play in the postseason this year.
The King cannot miss out on playing in the playoffs or even the play-in tournament for two years in a row. As he mentioned, “it’s not in my DNA.” LeBron James was having a great season after he turned 38, from individual accomplishments are concerned. But a few days back, he sustained a terrible foot injury ruling him out for several games.
Why Was AD Absent From The City Thunders’ Game?
The Lakers are now at such a crucial juncture when they have only 19 games left in the regular season. Now they are the 11th seed in the Western Conference. The aim is to climb as high as possible to try to get playoff chances alive. Since the King will be unavailable, every fan is hoping Anthony Davis will show them the way. But the coach Darvin Ham chose to sit AD out of the game against the Thunder. Fans and media personalities got curious about why did Ham make this decision.
Darvin Ham answered all these curiosities saying, “we are trying to take extra care of Anthony Davis and his feet. We cannot afford to see him get injured.” Ham explained how AD is feeling about this extra care. He mentioned that all this is a bit frustrating for Anthony Davis, but he is smart enough to understand the reason why it is essential. AD wants to contribute as much as he can. Anthony Davis is every bit as passionate as James and the rest of them to take the team to the postseason.
Coach Says, It Was Important To Give Anthony Davis Rest
However, for the fans, not seeing AD in the whole Thunder game was nothing short of an absolute panic attack. But the coach spoke to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin and provided some assurance regarding this situation. Ham mentioned, “looking at the bright side, I can tell you that it is not a new injury for Anthony Davis. It is just a precaution so that he is available for the majority of the remaining regular season games.” The coach added that the cause of the precautionary measure was not just to manage the load management of AD, but it was a plan for a long time.
The kind of injury Anthony Davis sustained due to pressure is not a matter of joke. It needs constant monitoring, and fans should get used to these occasional absences of AD in the remaining matches as well. He has not played two games in two nights throughout the season. Hence, there is no point putting any more pressure on AD now. Without Anthony Davis and LeBron James, the Lakers were able to beat the Thunder. Fans will hope the team will continue this momentum in the following games.