Lakers’ Anthony Davis re-injured shoulder in loss to Raptors, listed as probable
Lakers star Anthony Davis has been listed on the injury report for the first time this season, because of a sore right shoulder that he re-injured while blocking a shot Sunday night against the Toronto Raptors.
He winced and grabbed his shoulder but remained in the game. Even before that, while on the bench, Davis sat with a heat wrap on the shoulder, which he originally injured Oct. 27 against Charlotte.
Davis is listed as probable for Tuesday’s game at Phoenix and said that while his shoulder “feels good,” the Lakers will monitor it through shootaround to see if he can play.
So far, the Lakers have not limited Davis’ minutes because of the injury.
“I really don’t remember if I was feeling it before that,” Davis said Monday when asked to compare how his shoulder feels now to how it felt two weeks ago. “I know I was feeling it a little before the game, but the blocked shot definitely caused that soreness to wake up a little bit. But, I mean, I still was able to go through the game fine, do some treatment afterwards. I think that blocked shot, as far as I can remember, kind of opened it up a little bit.”
The defensive framework coach Frank Vogel carefully put in place — a foundation the Lakers reinforced with enthusiasm and effort the past few weeks — fell apart.
Davis said Monday that he couldn’t recall when he did and didn’t feel the injury during games. Davis had a bit of a different response after Sunday‘s game.
“There’s really never a play I don’t feel it,” Davis said. “But I’m going to go out there and play. I try not to let it affect my game. I just play through it and then worry about taking care of it after the game.”
Coach Frank Vogel said there might come a time when he decides, independent of the medical staff, to rest a player, including Davis. But that time has not yet come.
Vogel was asked if Davis’ potential availability in May, during the playoffs, factors into their decision-making now.
“We’re looking at it very closely, for sure,” Vogel said. “We know the importance of Anthony to our system and our goals this year. So we’re gonna continue to look at it very closely day to day and make decisions at that point.”
How receptive would Davis be to rest?
“Obviously if it makes sense and then they give me reasons why, for the betterment of the team, then I guess we can go forward with it,” he said. “But if doesn’t make sense and I can still go out there and play and it makes sense for me to play, then I’ll try to play.”
Rondo being patient
Point guard Rajon Rondo has a good reason for why he’s been patient with his calf strain.
He was told his injury is similar to the calf strain Kevin Durant had, that ultimately became a torn Achilles tendon.
“Achilles was the first initial problem, and I rested for a while,” Rondo said. “Then it kind of moved to my calf and that’s when they told me about the KD calf strain, so I kind of backed off after that.”
Rondo said he has had scans to examine his calf and wants to wake up without any soreness before he plays in a game.
Vogel said Rondo participated in a full-court, live-contact, five-on-five drill in practice Monday. He wasn’t held out of any portion of the session. Rondo did some full-court, five-on-five scrimmaging Saturday, which was the Lakers’ off day. He did not feel healthy enough to play following that session and sat out Sunday’s game.
Rondo has not played this season and is listed as questionable for Tuesday against the Suns.
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Update: Coming off four of the five worst seasons in franchise history, the Suns have been a pleasant surprise. To a team led by fourth-year guard Devin Booker, they added point guard Ricky Rubio, center Aron Baynes and a new coach in Monty Williams, who also interviewed with the Lakers.
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