Anthony Davis has been on fire to begin the 2024-25 season. He has scored 30+ points in three out of the first five games of the campaign while being a menacing presence on the defensive end. However, he didn’t look comfortable in the Lakers’ 24-point loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers throughout the game.
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In the first quarter, he jammed his right hip and was accidentally hit in the face by Jarrett Allen, which left him with impaired vision. It severely affected his performance and he finished with a season-low 22 points in the blowout loss. While he has recovered from the hit to his eye, he’s still nursing a right hip soreness. However, that won’t affect his participation in LA’s upcoming game against the Raptors.
According to the NBA’s latest injury report, Davis is “probable” for the game in Toronto, suggesting he’ll suit up, provided he doesn’t suffer any setbacks before tipoff.
The Lakers say Anthony Davis (right hip soreness) is probable for tomorrow’s game at Toronto.
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) November 1, 2024
The superstar center was confident he’d recover in time for the game against the Raptors. In his post-game interview following the loss in Cleveland, he told SpectrumSportsNet,
“Took my hip in the first quarter. A little sore. Kind of like jammed it. But I’ll be fine. Just bothered me throughout the course of the game. But no, that won’t stop me from playing.”
Davis not missing any games is terrific news for the Lakers. He has played MVP-level basketball to begin the 13th season of his career and has been his team’s best player. In five games, he has tallied 30.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, 3 assists, 2.2 blocks, and 1.6 steals per game. However, his teammates have been unable to provide him with adequate support.
Will Anthony Davis be the Lakers’ only bright spot?
The Lakers are in danger of squandering the forward’s hot start to the season. Davis has to be the team’s best defender from the perimeter and in the paint because his teammates have been unable to match his defensive intensity.
They have been abysmal guarding the paint, allowing teams to bank 73.5% of their shots from inside, the worst mark in the league this season. It is a shocking statistic as Davis is one of the best inside defenders in the league.
One huge reason for the poor interior defense has been LeBron James’ declining defensive abilities and a lack of a defensive big man bar Davis. The Lakers’ transition defense is horrid and the lack of rim protection has left them vulnerable.
It is one of the reasons why the Lakers fans are skeptical of their team. They are repeating the habits from the previous two seasons. They didn’t make any significant changes to the roster during the offseason and the current core may have to be broken up to maximize the veteran.
