Anthony Davis traveled with the Los Angeles Lakers on their upcoming road trip after suffering a bruised tailbone injury, but he won’t be active for Friday’s game against Dallas (9:45 ET, ESPN).
The MRI exam carried out on Davis revealed no significant problems, and his X-rays came back negative. Despite being in severe pain, his injuries seem to be merely bruises.
Davis was injured during the Lakers’ sixth consecutive win over the Knicks on Tuesday night, with a score of 117-87. He tried to block a shot by New York’s Julius Randle in the third quarter, but fell hard on his back and tailbone.
Davis writhed in pain on the court, remaining down for approximately two minutes as his teammates huddled around him. Ultimately, with some assistance, he managed to stand up and slowly but surely walked off the court on his own.
Following the game, Danny Green of the Lakers described it as an “ugly fall, man. Considering how long it took for him to stand up and leave, and the way he walked out, it’s likely going to take some time to recover.”
However, the news may not be as bad as the Lakers had feared.
Initially, the team identified the injury as a bruised sacrum — the lower part of the spine. However, after an MRI, the Lakers revised their diagnosis to a soft-tissue bruise, suggesting the injury is probably less severe.
The Lakers play Oklahoma City on Saturday (8 ET, League Pass) before returning to Los Angeles.
Davis is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, but it is widely anticipated that he will renew his contract with the Lakers. In his inaugural season with Los Angeles, following a trade from New Orleans that saw most of its younger players leave, he is averaging 27.7 points and 9.5 rebounds.
“Lakers coach, Frank Vogel, said, ‘He is one of our cornerstones. He’s our current force. He’s our future. Being one of the world’s best players, his importance cannot be overstated.'”
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
