Change is inevitable for the Los Angeles Lakers. The team will undoubtedly look different when next season rolls around and many of the franchise’s key figures could either be gone or heading towards the door. Head coach Frank Vogel failing so badly to get his talent to mesh has reflected very badly on him. He has frequently been mentioned in firing rumors and his job security has been uncertain for a while now.
More on Anthony Davis Injury
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski explained why Frank Vogel is not in danger of losing his job. The Lakers brass is understanding that All-Star big man Anthony Davis has missed a lot of games, as has Kendrick Nunn, who they thought would have a sizable role. They also don’t see what firing Vogel, who remains confident in the team, would change.
The Lakers dropped to 27-32 with Friday's loss to the Clippers, ninth in the Western Conference and playing without Davis for what sources told ESPN are likely another four to five weeks with a right mid-foot sprain.
Dave McMenamin: Avery Bradley (knee) is out tomorrow vs LAC, per Frank Vogel. The coach also said Kendrick Nunn (knee) has begun the ramp-up process again, but remains out. Carmelo Anthony (hamstring) was a full practice participant and is probable. Anthony Davis (foot) is off his crutches.
Bill Oram: Lakers say an MRI on Anthony Davis’ ankle revealed a mid-foot sprain. He will be re-evaluated in four weeks. Brutal news for a struggling team trying to take advantage of recent momentum.
Anthony Davis is expected to be sidelined at least two weeks after suffering a right ankle sprain in the first half of the Lakers' 106-101 win against the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, sources told ESPN. Davis underwent X-rays at Crypto.com Arena that revealed no fracture, according to the team. Lakers coach Frank Vogel said Davis has an MRI scheduled for Thursday, and the team said he will be re-evaluated after the upcoming All-Star break.
Davis experienced significant swelling in the ankle immediately following the injury, sources told ESPN. Vogel said Davis was dejected when he checked in with him at halftime. "Just shaking his head about, you know, really everything," Vogel said. "Obviously I'm not sure what it felt like, but just being frustrated about it looking like he's going to miss some time again."
Kyle Goon: LeBron James: "Obviously I'm sickened to see AD go down in that fashion. ... I've seen it too many times, obviously." Adds that AD's health is most important.
Chris Haynes: Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis will receive an MRI on his right ankle tomorrow, league sources tells @YahooSports. But X-rays were negative.
Tommy Beer: The Lakers are listing LeBron James (knee) as doubtful and Anthony Davis as probable for tonight's game vs. the Knicks. Carmelo Anthony (hamstring) has been ruled out. The Knicks are at full strength.
Mike Trudell: Anthony Davis on how he’s feeling since his return: “Body is feeling good, besides the MCL this year, which I’m still trying to get all the way healthy. But besides that, I feel great.”
Mike Trudell: Vogel said Anthony Davis will start at center, and that his wrist is OK. LeBron started at center against ATL on Jan. 7, a 134-118 win (AD was out). ATL has De’Andre Hunter back, and he’s helped the Hawks be much better since they faced LAL, though he’s questionable (ankle).
Jovan Buha: Anthony Davis is warming up with a heavily taped right wrist pic.twitter.com/Ogqlfw3u7Q
Dave McMenamin: Frank Vogel says Anthony Davis (R wrist) and LeBron James (L knee) are both out. Avery Bradley and Russell Westbrook will play.
Mike Trudell: Frank Vogel said LeBron is still experiencing some soreness in his knee, and Davis has some soreness in his wrist. As for Sunday in Atlanta: “Hopefully we get them both back,” Vogel said, but the medical staff will see how they both feel tomorrow.
Jovan Buha: From what I was told, Anthony Davis lost some weight, was in the weight room a lot but was kind of trying to shed some weight that he had gained this offseason.
Harrison Faigen: Anthony Davis tells @Jovan Buha that the biggest part of his rehab was "just getting the pain to go away." He says he was ahead of schedule movement-wise, and by the time he played 2-on-2 pregame in Miami, he wasn't feeling pain anymore.
Chris Haynes: Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis (MCL sprain) will return tonight against the Brooklyn Nets after a month-long absence and will be on a minutes restriction, league sources tell @NBAonTNT, @YahooSports.
Jovan Buha: Anthony Davis (left knee MCL sprain) has been upgraded to probable for tomorrow’s game in Brooklyn, per the Lakers.
Mike Trudell: Anthony Davis is expected to play tomorrow at Brooklyn, and is listed as “probable.” Davis looked good playing 2-on-2, full speed, before the game at Miami, and clearly responded well to it.
Kyle Goon: Frank Vogel says Anthony Davis is OUT tonight. Said he’s progressing, felt good about his work yesterday but just isn’t ready yet.
Dave McMenamin: Anthony Davis has been upgraded to questionable and will be a game-time decision against Miami, per the Lakers.
Kyle Goon: Anthony Davis getting pregame reps without his knee brace. You can tell which shots he’s hitting from the baseline fans cheering in the background. 🔈🔈 pic.twitter.com/VbKPmtNRHg
Eric Pincus: AD has been cleared for on court ramp up against contact, per Vogel
Anthony Davis participated in an individual on-court workout on Friday, four weeks to the day since spraining the MCL in his left knee. There is optimism within the Los Angeles Lakers organization that the star big man could return to game action sometime during L.A.'s long road trip at the end of the month, sources told ESPN. Davis will be officially reevaluated by team doctors early next week, Lakers coach Frank Vogel said.
Ryan Ward: Frank Vogel says Anthony Davis will play "a lot of the five" when he gets back from injury.
At least Anthony Davis was spotted on the court before the game going through an individual workout, the first time he’s done so publicly since spraining a knee ligament against Minnesota on Dec. 17. Davis moved well on the injured leg despite wearing a bulky brace on the knee. Sources said the brace was merely precautionary and that the prognosis for Davis’ recovery is still good. The Lakers are scheduled to provide an update on Davis’ recovery as early as this weekend, though his return isn’t expected to closely follow.
Kyle Goon: Anthony Davis out on the court, shooting with a knee brace. He was jumping rope a little earlier. pic.twitter.com/xmfdeCojoV
Dave McMenamin: Anthony Davis warming up with a bulky brace on his left knee. He sprained the MCL in his left knee just more than three weeks ago in Minnesota. pic.twitter.com/BD8rj4UclB
From the moment Anthony Davis heard the pop in his left knee Friday night, he said, he was in “limbo.” He didn’t know how serious the latest injury in a too-long line of injuries would be. After playing in just half the Lakers’ regular-season games last season, then getting hurt again in the playoffs, Davis had used his frustrating track record as fuel coming into this season. Now, here he was again. Hurt. “I was emotional,” he said. “I was just, like, everywhere.”
Davis, who got married last summer, said his wife preaches that everything happens for a reason, a philosophy he came to embrace during his two-month absence last season. “(She’s) very spiritual,” Davis said, “and believes that this is a time for me to get my mind right, get the leg right, get the body right, and that I’ll be back stronger than ever.”
Shams Charania: Lakers star Anthony Davis has MCL sprain in left knee and will miss at least four weeks, team says.
Harrison Faigen: Frank Vogel tells @Mike Trudell that AD saw the team doctor after the game, and he will get an MRI tomorrow. "We'll know more at that time... Hopefully it's something minor and he can get back soon, but we'll find out tomorrow."
Callie Caplan: Good news for the COVID-19-hampered Lakers: Frank Vogel says Anthony Davis (left knee soreness) will play tonight vs. Mavs.
Brad Turner: The Lakers said that Anthony Davis (left knee soreness) has been upgraded to probable for tonight’s contest at Dallas.
Ryan Ward: Updated Lakers’ status report. Anthony Davis, LeBron James and Avery Bradley are all PROBABLE: pic.twitter.com/rKZ4ejf9M0
Dave McMenamin: Anthony Davis (fever) will not play against the Pacers tonight, sources told ESPN.
Tony East: LeBron James (Abdominal Strain) and Anthony Davis (Flu Like Symptoms) are both questionable for the Lakers against the Pacers tonight. Ariza, Nunn, Brown, Huff, and Reaves are out for LA. Caris LeVert (back) still listed questionable. TJ Warren remains out.
Jovan Buha: Anthony Davis is playing tonight, per the Lakers.
Jovan Buha: The Lakers say LeBron James (rectus abdominis strain) is questionable vs. Boston tomorrow. Anthony Davis (right thigh contusion) is probable.
Brad Turner: Lakers injury report: Avery Bradley (left ankle sprain) questionable, Anthony Davis (right thumb sprain) and Talen Horton-Tucker (right thumb injury recovery) are probable.
Ryan Ward: Frank Vogel confirms that Anthony Davis will play tonight.
Dave McMenamin: Anthony Davis remains questionable for tomorrow’s game in Portland with a sprained right thumb, per Frank Vogel.
Jovan Buha: The Lakers’ injury report for tomorrow against OKC: — Anthony Davis and Wayne Ellington are probable. This is the first time Ellington has been listed as probable. — LeBron James and Dwight Howard are questionable. — Trevor Ariza, Talen Horton-Tucker and Kendrick Nunn are out.
Mike Trudell: Update: Anthony Davis will play tonight.
Brad Turner: LeBron James out tonight with right ankle injury and AD questionable with right knee soreness, per Lakers.
Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards wasn't supposed to be in Minnesota this week, but after suffering an apparent injury while training with Team USA in Las Vegas, he'll have to return. Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch said Monday that Edwards would be back in the coming days to be "properly assessed."
In a video that circulated on Twitter last week, Edwards was seen limping out of practice and being helped to the team bus. Although the nature of the injury was unclear, a source told the Star Tribune that it was a "sprain" and confirmed it was not Edwards' knee.
Davis offering that update while also indicating that he’ll be speaking with Lakers assistant athletic trainer Jon Ishop to get a clearer assessment. “I’m gonna talk to my trainer, Ish (Ishop), and see what their plan is,” Davis said. “He’ll probably call me tomorrow and we’ll figure that out, but no I don’t (the exact timeline). They said before, when it first happened, that a 10-14 day injury is usually what it is with a Grade 1, so after tonight where I re-aggravated it, I don’t know if it will be another 14 (days) or whatever, but I’ll talk to him tomorrow and try to see what the plan is.”
Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis walked out of Staples Center Thursday night without any regrets about attempting to play in Game 6 with a left grain strain. “I couldn’t move to my right,” Davis told Yahoo Sports after the Phoenix Suns eliminated them in six games. “That’s why I reacted that way [in the first quarter] when [Devin] Booker drove left and I had to slide to my right. That s*** hurt. There was nothing I could do, but I just wanted to be out there for my team so bad."
Davis chose to play even with some of his teammates against the idea, sources said. “Me going out there didn’t have anything to do with me trying to be tough; I felt I owed it to my team to try to be out there with them,” Davis told Yahoo Sports. “I knew the only way I was going to be healthy enough to play was to get some rest, but time wasn’t on my side. So, I tried to give it a go. I don’t regret anything. I’ll be fine. Our team will be fine. I like our chances when healthy.”
After Davis missed Game 5, TNT NBA analyst Charles Barkley addressed him as “Streetclothes." After Davis returned in Game 6, Barkley questioned why the Lakers’ medical staff allowed Davis to play. “I don’t have to prove nothing to anyone,” Davis said. “I’m not going to prove anything to anyone. It doesn’t matter to me. The things that everybody are saying? It comes with the territory. When you're a player of my caliber, guys expect things from you and are going to say things about you. Whatever their reason is, it's my job to be on the floor. I know what I go through and what I play through and what my body goes through. The front office and coaching staff know. So I don’t need to prove anything to anyone that's outside of this Lakers organization.”
Dave McMenamin: Anthony Davis: “I wanted to do whatever I could to help the team … My body didn’t agree”
Bill Oram: Anthony Davis: "We had the pieces, we just couldn't stay healthy. A lot of that is on me -- a main guy who couldn't stay on the floor."
StatMuse: This series before Anthony Davis injury: — Suns 350 — Lakers 358 Since Anthony Davis injury: — Suns 274 — Lakers 227 pic.twitter.com/RgLFeGB1IE
Dave McMenamin: Anthony Davis' night is officially over, per the Lakers. AD did not do anything in the first quarter to make his left groin strain more severe than it already wasy, sources tell ESPN. It was the "same feeling" as it was going into the game, sources said. He just wasn't right.
Chris Haynes: Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis (groin) has been cleared to play in Game 6 tonight against the Phoenix Suns, league sources tell @YahooSports, @NBAonTNT.
Mark Medina: Frank Vogel on if potential elimination game factors into decision with AD/KCP playing/sitting: “It’s just a feel thing. We’ll be communicating with the medical team throughout and the coaching staff and I will be evaluating and measuring how well those guys are moving.”
Shams Charania: Lakers star Anthony Davis (strained groin) plans to play in Game 6 vs. Suns as long as warmups go accordingly, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
Gerald Bourguet: Frank Vogel said KCP is a go. Said Anthony Davis is still in the process of loosening up the groin and still has to meet with the team doctor to be cleared
Brad Turner: Lakers injury report: Anthony Davis (left groin strain) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (left knee contusion) are questionable for Game 6 vs Suns at Staples Center.
Melissa Rohlin: Anthony Davis says he's getting better everyday. "As far as tomorrow, I obviously want to [play]," he said. "I'm still waiting to get medically cleared."
Jovan Buha: Frank Vogel on Anthony Davis: “Well see. ... He’s making progress, but we still don’t know.” Vogel said Davis will be a game-time decision again.
Dave McMenamin: Frank Vogel, when asked about Anthony Davis’ availability for Game 6, said “we’ll see.” Vogel said Davis will be a gametime decision. “He’s doing everything he can to get back out there,” Vogel said.
While the Los Angeles Lakers were getting crushed coming out of a timeout in Game 5 against Phoenix, Anthony Davis looked over to an individual sitting courtside and nodded his head up and down to suggest everything is going to be OK. He flashed six fingers, as in a Game 6 return.
Davis told teammates he was going to push to play in Game 5, league sources told Yahoo Sports. LeBron James encouraged Davis not to rush it, noting the personal bout he had with the same injury, sources said.
About an hour removed from his first workout, Davis surprisingly returned to the court for his second workout. Considering how bad Davis looked an hour prior, it was fair to wonder if his latest appearance was just a hoax to deceive the Suns or a legitimate body-tester. But he didn’t look any better. He experienced pain the few times he attempted to move laterally. It was a brief workout consisting of casual midrange jumpers. Afterward, Davis took a seat on the Lakers’ bench.
Shams Charania: Sources: Lakers‘ Anthony Davis (strained groin) is officially out for Game 5 vs. Suns. Markieff Morris will start in place of Davis.
Ryan Ward: Frank Vogel on AD's knee injury: "The groin is the bigger priority. I don't believe the knee is an issue. ... It's really about the groin right now."
Mark Medina: Frank Vogel said that whether Anthony Davis plays or sit "will be a medical decision." In other words, Lakers won't allow AD to play only because he says he can
