Anthony Davis is listed as questionable on the Los Angeles Lakers' injury report for Tuesday's Play-In game at the New Orleans Pelicans. LeBron James is probable.
Late in the fourth quarter of the Lakers' regular-season finale on Sunday— also at the Smoothie King Center — Davis came up limping after being pushed by Larry Nance Jr. on a layup attempt. AD asked to be subbed out, stretched on the sidelined, then went back to the locker room.
“I feel good,” Davis said postgame. “Larry gave me a little shove in the back. Back just locked up on me. Nothing concerning. But, I was in the air, it's a dangerous play. I know he's not a dirty player. … Hypextension. It locked up.”
Davis has experienced hip/back spasms throughout the season. Yet, he still managed to set a career-high in games played. In his 76th appearance, against his former team, Davis put up 30 points (13-of-17 shooting) and 11 rebounds in 36 minutes.
Afterward, Lakers head coach Darvin Ham said he was “extremely optimistic” about AD's status for Tuesday's rematch with the Pelicans — this time, as the No. 7 vs. No. 8 leg of the Play-In Tournament.
Davis expressed steadfast confidence in his availability.
“There's no doubt that I’m going to play,” he said. “Get some massages, get some treatment. Just keep it loose and see how it feels over the next 24 or 36 hours, and get ready for Tuesday.”
Lakers coach Darvin Ham says Anthony Davis suffered a "spasm" and is "extremely optimistic" about him being available for Tuesday's Play-in game vs. the Pelicans. https://t.co/fXmHyCA2Fm
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) April 14, 2024
The Lakers are listing LeBron James as probable with his usual ankle soreness (he's often listed as questionable).
For the 71st game of his 21st season in NOLA, LeBron posted his fifth triple-double of the season — 25 points, 17 assists, and 11 rebounds — while nabbing five steals and effectively guarding Zion Williamson.
LeBron said the Lakers are treating their New Orleans excursion as the beginning of a playoff series.
“That's exactly what it feels like,” he said. “You don't get too high on one win because you gotta come back and play it again.”
Jarred Vanderbilt, out since Feb. 1 with a right midfoot sprain, is ramping up his conditioning. The Lakers are hoping to have Vando back soon, if they're still around, though the team has not issued an update in recent days.
The Lakers, under .500 as late as January, won 11 of their final 14 games to finish the season at 47-35 and snag the 8th seed in the Western Conference.
“I do like the way we played today,” LeBron said after the Lakers' decisive 124-108 win in the finale. “Good test for us. Good regular season for us, even throughout everything that went on throughout this whole season. For us to end the season 12 games over .500 — 13 if you count the championship of the In-Season Tournament — for everything we went through, it's a pretty good season for us.”
The Lakers rolled the Pelicans three times during the season — including Sunday's high-stakes clash and the IST semifinal. New Orleans caught the Lakers at their worst, on New Year's Eve, winning 129-109.
The victor of Lakers-Pelicans will face the defending champion Denver Nuggets in Round 1 of the NBA Playoffs. The loser will host either the Golden State Warriors or Sacramento Kings on Friday at Crypto.com Arena, for the chance to face the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Follow Us
Subscribe