Anthony Davis Injury Update: 9x All-Star & Coach Ham Break Silence On Playing Hurt In a “Wasted Opportunity”

Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis has been a reliable scorer for the franchise ever since he became a part of it in 2019. Given his high offensive prowess, matched only with that of LeBron James, the Lakers attempt to make use of the player as much as they could in an efficient manner. Ever since he developed an injury back in January, however, fans have been concerned whether it is the right thing to continue sending the player onto the court when he is not in his best condition physically. The same issue was raised once again during the recent matchup between the Lakers and the Indiana Pacers.

Anthony Davis’s Achilles injury seemed to be acting up again during the course of the game, affecting his scoring ability. For someone who had scored 34 and 36 points during his previous two games, the player only managed to drop 24 this time. In the aftermath of the game, Lakers head coach Darvin Ham was questioned about the same.

According to Lakers Nation, Ham noticed Davis’s injury popping up again as he put out a statement that read “You could tell he was running a little gingerly. It got better in the second half.” The player in question himself spoke out, stating that he was feeling a little sore during the game’s duration. “I’ll be better in a couple days, it’s nothing serious,” said Davis. “I felt like I could play through, it’s not something I plan to miss more games for or play on a minutes restriction.”

Given that the Lakers are currently ranked as the 9 seed on the points table, they have to take every win that comes their way to qualify for the playoffs. However, after the Pacers defeated them by 19 points, the team has once again faced a setback. When asked if tonight’s game was a ‘wasted opportunity’, Davis replied “Team can play well and beat us. But I think it was the way we played tonight that makes it a wasted opportunity… We turned the ball over, didn’t get back in transition.”

Ever since he was diagnosed with his Achilles tendinopathy a few months ago, Anthony Davis has reportedly been appearing on the Injury Report almost every time, with his status being ‘probable’ or ‘questionable’ in most cases. Despite this, he hasn’t missed a game since February 1. If the recent game is any indication, it is that the 9x NBA All-Star is not far from danger. Therefore, if the Lakers somehow make it to the playoffs, they will have to ensure that one of their best scorers is physically well enough to compete in the same.

What are the most games that Anthony Davis has played in a season?

Anthony Davis has devoted over 12 years of his life to the NBA. While a large chunk of it has been devoted to the Lakers, more than half of it has been spent with the New Orleans Pelicans. Throughout it all, he has been one of the most consistent players of the modern NBA.

Anthony Davis played the most during the 2016-17 and the 2017-18 season, appearing for 75 games in each of them. His availability started to drop once he joined the Lakers. While he appeared for 62 games during his first year with the team back in 2019, the same number dropped to 36 next year after the player developed a different injury. He has, however, redeemed himself during the ongoing season, having appeared in 69 of the 74 games played till now. If all goes well, then he may end up breaking his earlier record set during his time with the Pelicans.

READ MORE: Ex-NBA Champ Bestows Anthony Davis With Ultimate Honor As Lakers Star Battles Injury Woes In Playoff Run