The Los Angeles Lakers have lost Anthony Davis for multiple weeks due to a re-aggravation of his Achilles injury to go along with a calf strain. Davis suffered a setback in the 122-105 loss to the Denver Nuggets.
Davis had missed two games due to Achilles tendonosis before returning to the lineup for the 115-105 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. However, the 27-year-old is now facing a longer layoff with his agent, Rich Paul, forecasting Davis could miss games beyond the three-week re-evaluation period given by the Lakers’ medical staff.
Many questioned the decision to bring Davis back so soon considering the risks associated with Achilles injuries. If serious, those often bear career-altering consequences for players — Lakers legend Kobe Bryant being a prime example.
Davis thinks the team and himself didn’t neglect his condition, but added the approach this time around will come with more caution in the aftermath of the setback. “Obviously be a little smarter with it — which I think I was smart the first time — but even smarter,” Davis said.
“Up the treatment more; instead of three times a day, maybe five times a day. Just try to get it back where it needs to be so I can go out there and help the team.”
Davis said he was pain-free before the comeback against Memphis and was doing “great” up until the point he felt discomfort in the calf area in the second quarter. He did not return to the game after the collision with Nuggets star Nikola Jokic that re-aggravated his injury.
Davis thinks the setback was just an unlucky incident rather than a result of carelessness on his and L.A.’s part. “I feel like I was ready to go, training staff felt like I was ready to go,” he said.
“I think the way I moved and stepped kind of just re-aggravated that injury. I don’t think I rushed to come back.”
The medical staff has already put Davis through extensive treatment to ensure they were not taking any risks with his injury. “I iced it already and they kind of put these heel lifts in my shoe to take a little bit of stress off the Achilles,” he said after the Nuggets game.
“That’s kind of what I’ve been playing in as well; added some stuff inside my shoe to help out with that. And then at nighttime, wearing sleeves — I don’t know what it’s called — but it keeps my Achilles flexed so it’s not shortening.”
Davis ‘frustrated’ by potential weeks-long layoff
Davis couldn’t understand how he re-aggravated the injury considering his progress in days preceding the ill-fated Nuggets game. And even though he’s aware of the seriousness of Achilles issues, the forward said he was most disappointed by the prospects of missing several games in the coming weeks.
“I just felt like we were heading in the right direction on the treatment side and rehab side,” he said. “Just another setback, but it’s a part of the game. It’s more so frustrating that I’m not able to go out there and play.”
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