Lakers gives update on Anthony Davis after suffering eye injury vs Magic

Lakers head coach Frank Vogel expressed concern that star big man Anthony Davis could miss Thursday’s game against the Clippers due to an eye injury.

Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel said Tuesday that he is “hopeful” that big man Anthony Davis will play on Thursday against the Clippers, but admitted that it is possible that his eye injury holds him out of the game, per Bleacher Report.

Davis suffered the injury during a scrimmage against the Orlando Magic and is considered day-to-day. While the Lakers currently sit atop the Western Conference standings, with a 5.5-game lead over the Clippers, losing Davis for a few games could prevent the Lakers from clinching the top seed within the first few games of the NBA restart.

While the Clippers will also be short-handed after Lou Williams left the NBA bubble and was forced to quarantine again, Davis’ absence would loom much larger. The All-Star forward averaged 26.7 and 9.4 rebounds prior to the NBA’s hiatus, and his fit with LeBron James is seamless.

However, while Davis’s potential absence would certainly sting, it should not be a long-term concern. Vogel’s comments suggest that his absence would last one game at most, and the Lakers already have a strong grip on the top seed. If Davis returns quickly, Los Angeles likely clinches it with a few games to spare.

If Davis does miss time, Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee figure to fill in for him. While neither can fully replace Davis, both are good rebounders who can score in the post if needed.

The larger concern would be how the Lakers match up with their cross-town rivals. Davis and company have struggled against the Clippers thus far, and Thursday’s game is likely a preview of the Western Conference finals. Without Davis, another Clippers win could be in the cards.