Anthony Davis Could Miss Lakers-Clippers Game

According to NBA reporter Dave McMenamin of ESPN, Anthony Davis could miss the Los Angeles Lakers–Los Angeles Clippers game tomorrow (2/28). 

Davis is dealing with an upper respiratory illness.

Anthony Davis did not practice Tuesday because of an upper-respiratory illness, the team says. His status for tomorrow’s game against the Clippers is TBD.

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) February 27, 2024

The Clippers are 37-19 on the season. They are in fourth place in the Western Conference standings.

Meanwhile, the Lakers are only 31-28. They are in ninth place in the West. 

Davis is averaging 24.9 points, 12.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.1 steals and 2.4 blocks this season while shooting 55.7% from the field, 27.1% from beyond the arc and 81.0% from the free-throw line. He has 45 double-doubles and two triple-doubles. 

The Lakers are 13th in the NBA in points per game and 18th in points per game allowed. If the season ended today, LAL would be in the play-in tournament for the third time in four years despite having Davis and LeBron James. 

The Lakers are coming off a loss to the Phoenix Suns on the road. LAL only went to the free-throw line eight times during the Phoenix game. 

“We live on getting to the line, Davis said. “We attack the basket. I’m not sure how many points in the paint we had, but we try to live in the paint. Especially how much we struggle from the 3, we’re kind of up and down, so we try to live in the paint and get to the line. I’m not sure if it was just the refs missing it or they weren’t fouling. I felt I got fouled a couple of times. But that’s part of our identity, our DNA, is getting to the line and guys catching rhythms like that and then playing from there.”

Davis, who averages 6.8 free-throw attempts per game in 2023-24, took zero shots from the foul line against the Suns for the first time this season. It was the first time AD played at least 40 minutes without going to the line, according to ESPN Stats & Info.