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Anthony Davis is listed as out for the LA Lakers' clash with the OKC Thunder on Wednesday. The news comes on the heels of LeBron James being ruled out indefinitely as the result of a foot injury, and D'Angelo being ruled out for his second straight.
For Davis, the injury to his foot is nothing new, although he made a successful return to the lineup, starting the past 11 games for the team, he missed 20 games early on. Although the team hoped his injury woes were behind him, it now looks as though they will have to manage this lingering injury.
With the LA Lakers just half a game ahead of the OKC Thunder in the Western Conference, the matchup is a must-win for both teams. Unfortunately, in LeBron's absence, the team may not be able to look to Davis to keep the momentum rolling.
Anthony Davis and the LA Lakers struggles this season
Earlier on in the year, Davis looked to be playing at the MVP level despite visible discomfort in his back. After then missing significant time as a result of the stress reaction in his foot, Davis quickly returned to form and looked to focus on the remainder of the season.
Although the acquisitions of Rui Hachimura in January and D’Angelo Russell in February proved to be big moves for the Lakers, they continue to fight an uphill battle. After rattling off three straight wins in late February, they closed out the month on Tuesday by falling to the Memphis Grizzlies.
With James now sidelined indefinitely, and Russell & Davis both playing through their own injuries, it will be interesting to see how the remainder of the season plays out in LA. Currently, the Portland Trail Blazers currently sit half a game ahead of them in the standings, with the New Orleans Pelicans another half game ahead of them sitting in 10th place.
If the LA Lakers want to make the Play-In tournament, they’ll have to make up the game difference and overtake the Pelicans. Tune in tonight at 5 PM Pacific, 8 PM Eastern to watch as the Lakers take on the OKC Thunder in an attempt to hold onto 12th place.
Above, you can see highlights from the last time the two teams squared off, when LeBron James surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s leading scorer.
