Lakers looking to rebound in Oklahoma City.
With Los Angeles Lakers All-Star power forward LeBron James set to miss the ensuing few weeks with a murky right foot injury and starting point guard D’Angelo Russell looking doubtful to play once again, as he continues to recuperate from a sprained right ankle, it seemed everything was set up for center Anthony Davis to step up for Los Angeles this week.
Yesterday, he scored 29 points, pulled down 19 rebounds and swatted away five shots in a 121-109 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Today, of course, because he’s Anthony Davis, he’s out, per Shams Charania of The Athletic. Davis’s ailment is listed as the right foot stress injury that he had supposedly recovered from a month ago, according to Marc Stein.
This was an absolutely must-win game for a 12th-seeded Lakers team that was looking to maintain its positive post-trade deadline momentum even with James on the shelf. Now, LA is almost certain to lose. Its postseason odds are suddenly in jeopardy.
It’s been a frustrating several years to watch Davis as he body continues to betray him. When he’s right, he’s one of the league’s top talents, even though his jumper has more or less abandoned him.
Will Darvin Ham elevate Mo Bamba, who only played about a minute of mop-up duty last night against the Grizz, to a starting five role as the only available big with legit center size? He’s a solid 3-and-D option, though evidently Ham may prefer Wenyen Gabriel’s hustle and defense.
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