Los Angeles Lakers All-Star Anthony Davis did not participate in practice on Tuesday. The reason for his absence was defined as an “upper respiratory illness,” a Lakers spokesperson said. The team did not provide any information about AD's status for Wednesday's matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers at Crypto.com Arena.
Davis is recovering from a lost voice, which Darvin Ham posited may have impacted his ability to communicate as a back-line defender in the Lakers' loss against the Golden State Warriors last Thursday. The star big man finished with 27 points on 11-of-19 shooting, adding 15 rebounds and three blocks to his name. He put up 28 points and 13 rebounds the next night against the San Antonio Spurs, followed by 22 points and 14 rebounds in Sunday's most recent loss to the Phoenix Suns.
The Lakers are already shorthanded on the front line, with Christian Wood out for at least a few more weeks due to a knee effusion. Two-way center Colin Castleton, who was in line to get some burn, per Ham, has a right wrist fracture.
Defensive rebounding and allowing second-chance points have plagued the Lakers all season, despite AD's heroic work on the glass. On Sunday, the Lakers were outrebounded by 17.
At practice on Tuesday, Ham said the Lakers had devoted their recent film sessions to defensive rebounding. Jaxson Hayes is currently the only other available center on the roster due to all of their injuries.
“All bad clips,” Ham said about the film the Lakers reviewed.
Davis has appeared in 55 of 59 games this season, averaging 24.9 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks in 35.7 roughly minutes per game. He is also shooting 55.7% from the floor. The Lakers have gone 1-3 without him in the lineup.
At 31-28, Los Angeles entered Tuesday three games behind the Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings, who are both 33-24, for the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds in the Western Conference playoff picture. They are just a half-game up on the Warriors, who are 29-27 overall.
Beginning on Wednesday, seven of the Lakers' next eight games will be against playoff teams.
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