Is Anthony Davis playing tonight? Star's status for Friday In-Season Tournament
By Kyle Delaney
The Los Angeles Lakers are in the midst of a three-game losing streak and have yet to win a game on the road this season. The last stop on this Lakers' road trip is Phoenix.
However, after beating the Chicago Bulls in overtime, the Suns are 4-4 this season and look to build upon their current win streak.
The Lakers, on the other hand, are 3-5, and hope to stop skidding. Unfortunately, the Lakers may have to figure out a way to beat Phoenix without their potential DPOY candidate Anthony Davis.
Anthony Davis is probable for Lakers game against the Suns
According to the injury report, Anthony Davis was listed as questionable coming Friday's game due to a left hip injury. However, he was upgraded to probable by midday.
Wednesday's game against the Rockets was Anthony Davis' first absence this season. Davis last played on Monday against the Miami Heat, although he left the game twice and didn't return for the final 14 minutes. Aside from Davis, Jaxon Hayes is also listed as questionable for the game against the Suns due to an ankle injury.
A clip of AD limping in that game has made it's way around NBA twitter.
Per Chris Scorch:
In terms of rehabilitation, AD told ESPN that he was planning to, "Let it calm down, get treatment, get ready to suit up on Wednesday." However, since Davis didn't play on Wednesday, it's likely that those extra days of rest paid off.
Phoenix and LA are both 2-3 in their last five games. The Lakers are 0-1 without Davis this season. They finished 12-14 without Davis last season. Many argue that the Lakers are already too dependent on LeBron James, so Anthony Davis' absence does not help.
If you're a Lakers fan, you'd love to see guys like Christian Wood or Austin Reaves step up and lighten to load for LeBron and AD (provided he plays). This season, Davis averages almost 24 points, 12 rebounds, and three assists while shooting 55 percent from the field. All in all, Anthony Davis' presence on the court is essential for the Lakers as his absence already had a major impact on the team's performance (see: Lakers-Rockets box score).