Being whole is not a luxury the Lakers have had during the early part of this season, and not having Anthony Davis for Saturday night’s game against the San Antonio Spurs because of a bruised left calf is the latest hit for the team.
It was left up to LeBron James to carry the burden for the Lakers in just his second game after missing the previous five with a left adductor strain.
Lakers coach Darvin Ham said Davis “was kicked at some point in the second half” of Friday night’s game against the Spurs.
“It’s a little irritated,” Ham said, “[There is] a little bruising. So, just trying to stay ahead of it and be a little cautious and take our time with it. But he’s out.”
Davis had been on a tear in the last five games, averaging 33.4 points and 17.6 rebounds while shooting 64.4%.
Ham said the Lakers want to be cautious in back-to-back games with Davis, who has missed one other game this season because of back tightness.
“Just it being a back-to-back, the load he was carrying, specifically with [LeBron James] out, it’s just the smart and right thing to do,” Ham said of the decision to rest Davis. “We don’t want to push him this early in the season.
“And when you’re talking about different muscles and ligaments, it’s something that can easily turn into a year-long issue. So just to avoid that, we don’t want to put any additional strain on the area. The medical people decided it was the right thing to do and I totally agree.”
With Davis sidelined, the Lakers started Thomas Bryant in his place at center.
The Lakers are also without starting point guard Patrick Beverley, who served the second of his three-game suspension.
Dennis Schroder, who started in place of Beverley for the second consecutive game, and Bryant both missed the first 13 games of the season because of thumb injuries.
So, Ham was asked, does he ever wonder what his team might look like whole.
“I’m the type where until it gets to that point, I’m going to manage what I have to manage. I’m not a guy that looks down the road,” he said. “The daily work for me is we’ll be where we need to be and we’ll be healthy and whole when we get there. But we have to handle first what’s in front of us each particular day. So, I just role with the punches. That’s how I was taught.”
