Lakers Rumors: Anthony Davis Expected to Play Game 6 vs. Warriors After Head Injury
Los Angeles Lakers superstar big man Anthony Davis is reportedly expected to play in Game 6 of the team's second-round playoff series against the Golden State Warriors on Friday.
Davis left Wednesday's Game 5 with an apparent head injury, but Chris Haynes of Turner Sports reported that he will be available in Game 6 barring a setback. ESPN's Dave McMenamin also reported Davis is set to take the court for the possible elimination game.
The 30-year-old Davis is in the midst of his 11th NBA season, and his fourth as a member of the Lakers.
Picked No. 1 overall by the then-New Orleans Hornets in 2012, AD has put together a Hall of Fame-worthy resume during his career, earning eight All-Star selections and winning an NBA championship with the Lakers in 2020.
Injuries have taken their toll on Davis in recent years, including during the 2022-23 regular season when he missed 26 games.
Davis was as productive as ever when healthy, though, averaging 25.9 points, 12.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.1 steals while shooting a career-best 56.3 percent from the field.
AD also played a huge role in the seventh-seeded Lakers upsetting the No. 2 Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
In the second round, Davis helped the Lakers race out to a 3-1 series lead over the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors, but in a Game 5 loss, he was forced to leave because of an apparent head injury.
That left LeBron James as the Lakers' lone superstar, although he was still surrounded by some productive supporting cast members such as D'Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves and Lonnie Walker IV.
Davis' health is of the utmost importance to the Lakers because of a lack of quality frontcourt depth behind him.
Jarred Vanderbilt likely would have received the bulk of the playing time if Davis had been forced to miss a game, but it looks as though the Lakers will have their full allotment of players for a pivotal Game 6.
