Anthony Davis waiting to be cleared, is game-time decision for Lakers vs. Suns
Jun 2, 2021, 4:18 PM | Updated: 6:19 pm
Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers warms up before Game Five of the Western Conference first-round playoff series at Phoenix Suns Arena on June 01, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Lakers forward/center Anthony Davis said Wednesday that the decision on him playing or not in Game 6 versus the Phoenix Suns comes down to the Lakers’ medical staff.
“Getting more treatment tonight (and) tomorrow and kinda talk to the doctors before and after our shootaround and hopefully everything comes back good where they clear me,” Davis said.
Davis and head coach Frank Vogel both said they are still waiting on Davis to get medically cleared from a left groin strain he suffered in the second quarter of Game 4. Davis did not play in Game 5, a 30-point loss for the Lakers.
“We’ll see,” Vogel said. “We’re hopeful that he’s able to get back out there but he’s still dealing with the injury. Making progress but we still don’t know. He’s going to continue to get round-the-clock treatment and hopefully give himself a chance to play but he’s gotta be cleared.”
Vogel said Davis will be a game-time decision again for Thursday’s Game 6 after doing some light work on the court in practice on Wednesday.
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The Suns lead the series 3-2 over the Lakers through five games.
Davis was called a game-time decision for Tuesday and was on the court for pregame warmups on two separate occasions. He briefly tested out some lateral movements and didn’t look comfortable doing so before being ruled out.
The eight-time All-Star injured his left knee in Game 3, and Davis confirmed that injury led to the groin strain in Game 4.
“They told me everything is connected and that’s exactly what happened. The groin happened because of the tightness in the knee from the hyperextension,” he said.
The health of Davis and LeBron James was the biggest question entering the series. Davis missed over two months of the regular season because of a calf strain before returning in mid-April. James sprained his right ankle in late March and was out for 27 of his next 29 games. He played in the last two regular season games and the play-in before taking on the Suns.
The duo that carried the Lakers to a championship in the bubble last year has clearly still been affected by injuries and not at 100% against Phoenix. Davis is averaging 21.8 points per game while James is at 22.2. That would be the lowest mark of Davis’ career in a playoff series and the worst for James since 2011.
