Lakers: Anthony Davis out at least a few weeks with calf strain
By John Buhler
Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis will be sidelined for a few weeks with a calf strain.
Anthony Davis is expected to be held out until sometime after the All-Star break with a calf injury.
The Los Angeles Lakers forward re-injured his Achilles’ tendon in Sunday night’s road loss to the Denver Nuggets. Davis missed the two games prior to the Feb. 14 date at Denver. He had to exit the game after a collision with Nuggets center Nikola Jokic. The Lakers will take things incredibly slowly with Davis’ lower leg injury. However, this is great news, as he did not tear his Achilles’.
Anthony Davis will be re-evaluated in two to three weeks after suffering a calf strain, source tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 15, 2021
Davis underwent an MRI today, which revealed a re-aggrevation near his Achilles. Lakers and Davis will be conservative on a return to play, which could be sometime after the All-Star Break running March 5 to 10, source tells ESPN. https://t.co/8touT9FkIf
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 15, 2021
Even prior to MRI today, conversation among GM Rob Pelinka, Anthony Davis and agent Rich Paul of @KlutchSports has been to take their time on AD's return to lineup, sources tell ESPN. They'll take another look in two-to-three weeks, yes, but "conservative" is the operative word.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 15, 2021
Anthony Davis' MRI revealed a calf strain and a re-aggravation of the right Achilles tendonosis, source said. Once Davis returns to Los Angeles, he'll immediately get another evaluation there. It is extremely unlikely Davis returns to lineup prior to ASG break ending March 10.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 15, 2021
The Lakers will have to tread water for a month while Anthony Davis recovers
While the MRI did not reveal a torn Achilles’ tendon, the Lakers are smart to proceed with caution regarding their star player’s injury. Though they are going to shut him down for two to three weeks, he could be back in time for the Lakers to accelerate their playoff push in mid-to-late March. If the Lakers want to repeat as NBA champions, they will need him to have any shot.
Related Story. Anthony Davis re-aggravates Achilles’ injury in Lakers loss to Nuggets. light
Though the Lakers won their first NBA championship with LeBron James and Davis as their two star players, Los Angeles was not a deep team in the Orlando bubble. We know that the Lakers can win it all when Davis serves as their second best player, but having him out for any extended period puts even more pressure on James to succeed in his age-36 season out of Akron, Ohio.
The Lakers are fortunate to have enough time to ride out Davis’ injury and ensuing recovery.