Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis has aggravated his right Achilles tendonitis, said a source for ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, and was held in the second half of Sunday’s 122-105 loss to the Denver Nuggets.
Davis missed two games earlier this week with an injury. The Lakers officially called it a correct Achilles strain and said Davis would undergo an MRI on Monday.
Davis, 27, was listed as questionable before the game, but he still started with the Lakers looking to extend his seven-game winning streak.
Davis led Nikola Jokic at the end of the second quarter and hit his feet with the center of the Nuggets – Jokic’s right knee came in contact with Davis’ right quad. When Davis collected his dribble after the foul was called and planted his leg, he seemed to aggravate his lower right leg. He squeezed his foot under the calf after the song was whistled dead.
Davis stayed in the game to make two free throws, doing both, then checked with 2:36 left in the second quarter and limped into the locker room with assistant Lakers athletic coach Jon Ishop by his side.
The nine-year veteran has been experiencing discomfort in his right lower leg for weeks and underwent an ultrasound last weekend, which confirmed the injury.
Before returning to play in Friday’s 115-105 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, when he scored 35 points in 16-for-27 shooting – two points off his season in the score – Davis detailed his process. thinking about injury to reporters.
“I think any other game … I wanted to play. This is just a different circumstance, being an Achilles. If it were a quad or a finger, something like that, I wouldn’t mind playing,” Davis said Thursday. . “But I don’t really want to play with an Achilles.”
Davis played 35 minutes against the Grizzlies, but shared the final step with victory in hand after suffering pain.
“It could obviously go away with rest and stuff like that, but I’m not trying to rest, so I’m just trying to keep it as weak as possible,” Davis said Friday.
Davis said the Achilles tendon was not compromised, but the tissue around the tendon bothered him.
“The doctors and the training staff feel comfortable enough for me to go there and perform,” he said. “It’s something that will continue to improve, constantly treating him all day, all night and wearing things in my shoes to help with the pain and wear tape and all that to make it work. I feel better throughout the course of time, and I’m basically very – I can go there and play and not worry. “
Davis scored 15 points in 14 minutes with four rebounds and one assist before coming out of Sunday’s game.
Kyle Kuzma started the second half in place of Davis.