Lakers Injury Update: Will Anthony Davis return to the LA line-up tonight vs the Knicks

Dec 18, 2023 | 9:13 AM EST

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The NBA is entering week 9 games today. The Los Angeles Lakers will lock horns for the first time this season against the New York Knicks tonight. The Lakers are coming off a recent loss when they played against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday. Spurs stunned the Lakers as they completely dismantled them in the second half. Anthony Davis missed Friday’s game due to an ankle injury. This is an additional injury given that the big man is already dealing with a hip injury.

His status for tonight is doubtful. Given the nature of the injury, a game-off for Anthony Davis is something that Darvin Ham will go for. Foot injury can get severe, so any precaution before the big games will be a priority for the Lakers.

Anthony Davis will probably miss tonight’s game

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At the time of writing this, Anthony Davis is listed as ‘Questionable’ (Left Adductor/Hip Spasm) in the official injury report. Adding to the Lakers’ misery, LeBron James is also listed as Questionable due to a Left Calf Contusion. Gabe Vincent is out due to an injury. Additionally, D’Angelo Russell and Jarred Vanderbilt are listed as ‘probable’ for tonight’s game.

The Lakers have faced a drop in rankings just coming off with an In-Season trophy. They are currently the No. 8 seed of the Western Conference, following their Texas road trip. Multiple key players were in and out of the lineup during their recent games, which has tanked the overall performance. Their tip-off tonight will also not be an easy one.

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Knicks pose a significant offensive challenge

The Lakers will be in trouble if AD misses out on more games. He is the anchor in their defense, as they couldn’t stop the Spurs on the defensive end without AD. The Knicks pose a significant challenge for the Lakers without their key role players. They are currently the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. Although the Knicks themselves are struggling on defense, they are performing really well offensively.

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Defensively, they are at the bottom of the league in December’s ratings. Led by Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle with their high 3-point shooting rate, the team is currently ranked at number 3 in the offensive rating. For tonight’s game, only Mitchell Robinson from the Knicks will not be available due to a left ankle issue.

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Who do you think will win tonight’s game? Let us know in the comments below!