Lakers news: Anthony Davis (ankle) leaves vs Clippers, evaluated in locker room

The Los Angeles Lakers continue to absorb significant setbacks as the playoffs approach. Anthony Davis appeared to twist his ankle vs the Clippers.

The hits keep coming for high-profile players in this injury-strewn NBA season, with the Los Angeles Lakers continuing to absorb significant setbacks as the playoffs approach. Anthony Davis appeared to twist his ankle early in the first half versus the Los Angeles Clippers. He was taken to the locker room for further evaluation.

Lakers say Anthony Davis is being evaluated in the locker room. He appeared to twist his ankle on that three earlier in the game.

— Bill Oram (@billoram) May 7, 2021

The Lakers needed Davis on Monday against the similarly depleted Denver Nuggets. Davis made huge defensive plays down the stretch to power the Lake Show to a massive win which gave the defending champions a small cushion in the race to avoid the play-in round of this year's NBA postseason.

Davis and LeBron James have both missed several weeks of play this season with injuries, which aren't idle coincidences. The highly compressed NBA game schedule — a complete reversal of recent seasons and their attempts to reduce back-to-backs and 4-in-5 game sequences — has left players more vulnerable to physical breakdowns.

It's a widely shared thought in the NBA world that the playoffs will be determined by health as much as quality, if not more so. The Lakers hope to get good news on Anthony Davis as they go against the Clippers.

The news on the floor is not good, however: The Lakers trailed the Clippers 65-42 at halftime. Assuming the Lakers fail to come back and win, the Lake Show would be 37-29 in the standings, in sixth place and a full game behind the fifth-place Dallas Mavericks (38-28), who beat the Brooklyn Nets earlier on Thursday. The Purple and Gold would fall into a tie for sixth place with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Guess whom the Lakers play Friday night? Portland.

LeBron James will not play for the Lakers against the Blazers. If Davis is unable to play in that game, we can all do the math: The Lakers would be in danger of sliding into the seventh spot — a play-in position — and facing the Golden State Warriors in a one-game pressure cooker in the play-in round.