The Los Angeles Lakers will be without Anthony Davis for at least the rest of Game 4 against the Phoenix Suns thanks to a new injury. Already dealing with a sprained knee, Davis attacked the basket late in the second quarter, drew contact and then crashed the floor, grabbing his leg.
After being evaluated at halftime, the Lakers announced that Davis would not return to the game due to a strained left groin.
The Lakers were already missing one starter with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope out of the lineup due to a knee contusion suffered during Game 3. Losing Davis certainly gives the Suns life in a series that the Lakers looked to be seizing control of.
Without Davis, the Lakers will have to rely on the likes of Kyle Kuzma and Markieff Morris to fill in at power forward. There is no way to truly replace what Davis brings to the team, but Morris and Kuzma both have the ability to space the floor and provide some defensive versatility. One (or both) of them getting hot from behind the arc could help to weather the storm, but the Lakers will have an uphill climb without one of their two stars.
The departure of Davis also puts more pressure on LeBron James to take over the series if the Lakers are going to survive. James, himself dealing with an ankle injury, looked more like himself in Game 3, but whether he can get his game to the level the Lakers need him to be at without Davis is yet to be seen.
The Lakers will have to keep their fingers crossed that Davis’ injury heals quickly.
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