Los Angeles Lakers big man Anthony Davis will be on the shelf for at least a week after suffering an abdominal muscle strain, the team announced Wednesday. Davis was injured during the first quarter of the Lakers’ matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers. He walked to the locker room and never returned, as the Lakers fell to the short-handed 76ers by a score of 118-104.
Muscle strains can be tricky. Davis only missing one week from the injury seems like an optimistic outlook. Team doctors will re-evaluate him at the end of that time, and there’s a chance he may be out for longer. The current timeline would at least keep him out for upcoming road matchups against the Wizards, Knicks, and Clippers.
Davis has been uncharacteristically durable over the last few seasons. He played in 70 games (including postseason) during LA’s run to the Western Conference Finals in 2023. Last year, he set a new career-high with 76 regular season games played. He’s appeared in 42 of 45 games this year.
The Lakers will likely struggle with Davis on the mend. He leads the Lakers in points (25.7), rebounds (11.9), steals (1.3), and blocks (2.1). It’s been a struggle on the defensive end of the floor under first-year head coach JJ Redick, and it will get even more difficult without Davis to anchor the paint.
Davis’ absence could spark LA’s front office to make a move. He’s repeatedly made it known that he prefers the team acquire a center to play alongside in the frontcourt. The Lakers have been rumored to be interested in several big men across the league, including Indiana’s Myles Turner and Utah’s Walker Kessler.
