Following a week of uncertainty, Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers ultimately played two games against the Brooklyn Nets as part of the 2019 NBA China Games.
While the Lakers were swept by the Nets in Shanghai and Shenzhen, all of the attention is on Davis right now.
In the very first quarter, Davis blocked a shot at the rim, had his hand lightly wrapped up after, and continued playing.
However, the 26-year-old eventually went back to the team’s locker room and was diagnosed with a sprained right thumb, according to Bill Oram of The Athletic:
Lakers say Anthony Davis suffered a sprained right thumb in the first half here in Shenzhen. He will not return.
— Bill Oram (@billoram) October 12, 2019
As Davis did not play the remainder of the game, he will undergo diagnostic testing once they return home:
Lakers say Anthony Davis will undergo diagnostic testing on his right thumb upon the team's return to Los Angeles.
— Bill Oram (@billoram) October 12, 2019
Since Davis was able to finish the first quarter, the hope is the Lakers only held him out for precautionary measures. He recorded six points and three rebounds in 12 minutes.
While there are concerns and some will point to Davis’ injury history, he has actually stayed relatively healthy during his final three seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans.
Along with team chemistry, injuries will likely determine the team’s success for the 2019-20 NBA season. If healthy, the Lakers are viewed as a championship contender, but they have not had the greatest luck over the past 6-7 seasons.
Outside of Davis, Kyle Kuzma and Talen Horton-Tucker are recovering from stress reactions while Jared Dudley and Quinn Cook have not played in the 2019 NBA preseason yet.
Although the Lakers have depth at every position except for small forward, Davis potentially missing any games would be a significant blow to a ‘soft’ start to the new season.