The Los Angeles Lakers listed Anthony Davis (left plantarfasciitis) and D’Angelo Russell (illness) as probable on their injury report for their upcoming game against the Memphis Grizzlies. Jaxson Hayes (right ankle sprain) is questionable while Jalen Hood-Schifino (left groin soreness), Jarred Vanderbilt (right foot surgery recovery) and Christian Wood (left knee surgery recovery) are out.
Davis was poked in the eye in the third quarter against the Toronto Raptors and was ruled out for the remainder of the night.
The injury looked bad at first glance as Davis spent several moments on the floor in pain before getting up and walking back to the locker room under his own power. Fortunately, he returned to practice and confirmed himself that his eye is fine and that he would be playing against the Grizzlies. That is evidenced by the eye not even being listed on the injury report.
Davis missed the Lakers’ loss to the Grizzlies in Memphis last week so it will be huge to get him back in the lineup on Wednesday.
Hayes has been serviceable off the bench, but his status is in jeopardy after spraining his ankle. With the team already without Wood and Vanderbilt for the foreseeable future, that would mean Christian Koloko getting backup center minutes if Hayes is unable to play against Memphis.
Wood is set to be re-evaluated in four weeks after experiencing a setback in his ramp-up form knee surgery, while no update has been given for Vanderbilt who is recovering from surgeries on his both his feet.
Those two shouldn’t be needed against a Memphis team that will be without Ja Morant and Desmond Bane, but the overall outlook is shaky if Davis continues to operate as one of the team’s lone true big men. For now, though, the organization can take a small breath of relief as Davis won’t be forced to miss any time with the eye injury.
Meanwhile, Hood-Schifino is a new addition to the injury report after hurting his groin while playing with the South Bay Lakers in their G League season opener on Saturday. It remains to be seen how much time he will be forced to miss due to the groin issue.
Anthony Davis motivated by Dodgers winning World Series
The city of Los Angeles finally got to enjoy a championship parade after the Los Angeles Dodgers won the 2024 World Series. Several Dodgers players were in attendance for the Lakers game against the Philadelphia 76ers and Anthony Davis later admitted seeing them win a title motivated him to do the same for the purple and gold.
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