The rivalry between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors just got a little more competitive, as LeBron James has been forced to push his game over the edge due to Anthony Davis’ injury. The importance of this game is amplified by everything that’s happened in terms of recent NBA history.
The “when will anthony davis return” is a question that has been asked many times. Anthony Davis’ latest ankle injury forces LeBron James to push it to the limit.
If the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2021-22 season wasn’t bad enough, they were given another major setback. In Wednesday’s victory against the Utah Jazz, star forward Anthony Davis sustained a seriously injured right ankle.
With Davis’ injury expected to keep him out for many weeks, the circumstance puts the organization in a much more difficult position to reach the playoffs. Davis’ absence also puts LeBron James in a perilous position, perhaps leading to a sad ending.
Anthony Davis’ ankle injury is a major setback for the Lakers.
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The Lakers won a much-needed game against the Jazz, thanks to an outstanding effort by James, but it came at a high price.
Davis hurt his right ankle after colliding with Rudy Gobert’s leg during the game. Because he couldn’t put any weight on his right foot, the eight-time All-Star required assistance getting off the floor and into the locker room.
Davis exited Crypto.com Arena at halftime on crutches, despite x-rays coming back negative. Following the match, James expressed his wish for Davis to recover quickly.
“Obviously, seeing AD go down in that situation is awful,” James stated via ESPN. “I hope he’s all right.” Obviously, I know he’s not fantastic, but his health is important for him as a person and for our ballclub as a whole. Obviously, I’ve seen [teammates] be hurt far too many times. So all I can do is wish him the best.”
The 28-year-old came into the 2021-22 season wanting to put an end to his injury woes, but he’s already missed 21 of the team’s 58 regular-season games. This includes missing 17 games in a row due to a sprained MCL in his left knee.
Due to the All-Star break, the Lakers will be on the road for nine days, softening the effect of Davis’ probable prolonged absence. Aside from that, the Lakers may have averted a major disaster.
Due to Anthony Davis’ ankle injury, LeBron James is forced to push it to its utmost.
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The Lakers are bracing for a lengthy absence as they await the findings of Davis’ ankle MRI.
Los Angeles will take precautions regardless of the severity to minimize setbacks, particularly with just 24 regular-season games remaining. As a result, the Lakers will rely even more on LeBron James to lead them forward.
James is already not at full strength due to chronic knee concerns that have led him to miss five games lately. What’s more troubling is that he likened the condition to a right high ankle sprain he had last season, which led him to miss 20 games in a row.
James told Lakers Nation, “It’s the same as my ankle when I had the ankle injury last year.” “The only way to come back to full strength is to relax, which I don’t have, so we’ll have to wait until the summer.”
Despite this, James put on an outstanding effort in the Jazz’s comeback triumph on Wednesday. He scored 33 points, extending his career-best streak of at least 25 points to 23, matching Elgin Baylor for the most by a Lakers player.
James will have times when he has to take a game off to enable his knee to work better with him. Despite this, the Lakers are counting on their star forward to keep fighting Father Time in his 19th year.
With such restrictions, it might easily be a formula for catastrophe, resulting in James suffering further injuries. However, as he pointed out, he doesn’t have the luxury of waiting until the summer to rest his knee.
Simply stated, until Davis returns, James and the Lakers are caught between a rock and a hard place.
Russell Westbrook’s moment has arrived.
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As a result of Anthony Davis’ injury, LeBron James is under more scrutiny, while Russell Westbrook is getting more attention.
The nine-time winner The All-problems Star’s as a scorer and passer in a Lakers shirt have been well chronicled, but his club needs him to be a bigger contributor offensively. Westbrook hasn’t shied away from the spotlight, but his recent performance revealed that the trade deadline speculations were weighing on his mind.
Through his ability to shift the tempo and get to the basket, the former league MVP must step in as the clear No. 2 scoring option. With the ball in his hands more, he will have more freedom to stretch his wings in his enhanced attacking role.
After Wednesday’s game, Westbrook spoke about how important it is to take up the slack while David is out.
“It’s been like this all year,” Westbrook told ClutchPoints’ Michael Corvo. “The most essential thing is that AD is well and in good spirits. And perhaps it won’t be too horrible, and he’ll return. But until then, we must maintain the status quo.”
The Lakers are six games behind the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference standings with 24 regular-season games remaining. In the play-in round, they are just four games ahead of the 11th seeded New Orleans Pelicans.
Los Angeles, in other words, has little room for mistake, and their other two stars must take the lead.
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