Lakers F Anthony Davis set for MRI on strained Achilles

Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis will undergo an MRI on Monday after re-aggravating a sore right Achilles late in the first half of a loss to the Denver Nuggets

By PAT GRAHAM AP Sports Writer

February 15, 2021, 7:49 AM

• 3 min read

DENVER — Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis will undergo an MRI on Monday after re-aggravating a sore right Achilles late in the first half of a 122-105 loss to the Denver Nuggets.

“The doctors don’t want to rule out anything,” Davis said Sunday night. “Everything looks good, but you still want the MRI just to make sure.”

Davis believes he may have stepped wrong as he drove to the basket and was fouled by Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic. Davis hobbled to the free-throw line, made both shots and then was subbed out with 2:39 remaining. He gingerly headed toward the locker room with what the team later termed an Achilles strain.

“For me, all I care about is his health,” his teammate LeBron James said. “I want him to be healthy. Our team needs him to be healthy … and do his due diligence on what’s going on with his injury and be right when he comes back.

“No rush. No timetable. We have no idea from that aspect. Just want him to be healthy and get back to full-strength.”

Entering Sunday’s game, Davis was questionable with what was described as right Achilles tendinosis. Davis missed two contests due to the ailment before returning in a win over Memphis on Friday.

“Today was the first day where it felt completely fine,” Davis explained. “I didn’t feel it at all this morning, afternoon, pregame, anything. I just felt like I was headed in the right direction.

“I don’t want to mess around with this type of injury. Trying to figure out the best steps after receiving the information tomorrow.”

Davis had 15 points and four rebounds in the first half against Denver. The game changed complexion when he left, with the Nuggets turning a close contest into a runaway.

“Obviously, it’s a tough blow because he was playing so well up until the injury tonight,” James said. “He goes out for the rest of the game, it’s kind of hard to pick up that production.

“We’re not asking anybody to pick up what A.D. does. It’s impossible. He’s a special player and a special talent for a reason. Everyone, individually, has to pick up their play for the collective of the team in A.D.’s absence.”

The Lakers play in Minnesota on Tuesday.

“We’ve played games without him and we’ve won games without him,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. “If he’s going to miss time, which we don’t know yet, we’ve got plenty of fire-power to win games.”

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