Anthony Davis will continue to lead the Los Angeles Lakers’ playoff push during Friday’s home game against the Toronto Raptors, despite his injuries.
Davis has found the middle value of 33.0 focuses with 13.8 bounce back and 2.8 blocks over his last five games as the Lakers keep on climbing the Western Gathering standings with an end goal to secure down a spot in the play-in competition.
Davis had 30 points and a season-high 22 rebounds in the Lakers’ 112-103 home victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday, propelling them to ninth place. The useful night came as he took a blow from Memphis’ David Roddy that left him draining from inside and beyond his nose, costing time to get clinical consideration.
Davis will have to play through the discomfort because of the schedule. Los Angeles has just 16 games remaining and is playing without their star player, LeBron James, who has a tendon injury in his right foot and may miss three more weeks.
Since returning from a stress injury to his foot, Davis has played in 16 of the last 18 games and is averaging 26.5 points and 12.5 rebounds per game this season.
On Tuesday, the Lakers were led by Dennis Schroder, Rui Hachimura, and Austin Reaves, who combined for 17 points. Mo Bamba and D’Angelo Russell, both of whom have ankle injuries, were also out for Los Angeles.
Bamba will be out for at least four weeks, but Russell will be back on Friday after missing six games with a sprained right ankle. He has been listed as likely.
On Thursday, Darvin Ham, the Lakers’ coach, told reporters that Russell is “pretty much a full go.”
On Wednesday, the Raptors suffered a 108-100 defeat to the Clippers to kick off their extended stay in Los Angeles. Against a team that had averaged 131.7 points in its previous six games, Toronto shot 38.5% from the field.
The Raptors were outscored 59-51 in the second half, led by 20 points from Scottie Barnes and Pascal Siakam. Despite taking 96 field goal attempts to 71 for Los Angeles and forcing the Clippers into 17 turnovers, Toronto ultimately lost. While the Clippers had 31 free throw attempts, the Raptors only converted 14 of them.
On a five-game road trip that ends on Friday, Toronto is just 1-3.
