Lakers' Anthony Davis Out vs. Luka Doncic, Mavericks Because of Back Injury

Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis will reportedly miss Friday's game against the Dallas Mavericks with a back injury he suffered in Tuesday's win over the New York Knicks.

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported the news, noting Kyle Kuzma will start in his place.

Davis, who also dealt with a shoulder issue early in the season, gave the team a scare during the win when he landed on his tailbone in the third quarter attempting to block a shot. His MRI revealed no significant damage, and he was able to travel with the Lakers on their two-game road trip to Dallas and Oklahoma City. 

Losing Davis for any length of time would significantly impact the Lakers, though they have had a number of surprising performances from role players that have helped them post the best record in the Western Conference (30-7). 

Los Angeles still has LeBron James to run things, but Davis' absence creates a void on both sides of the ball. He leads the team in scoring with 27.1 points and rebounding with 9.4 per game this season. 

Until Davis is able to return, head coach Frank Vogel will rely on Kuzma as his primary power forward.