Anthony Davis had to leave the Los Angeles Lakers game early with an abdominal muscle strain, and the team had to finish the last three quarters without him. That may have cost them a win, as the Philadelphia 76ers took the victory 118-104.
After the game, LeBron James was asked about his level of concern with Davis' injury, he seemed confident.
“When our best player goes out it’s always challenging, especially in the game,” James said. “I didn't even realize until the second quarter when he didn't come back in his regular minutes and I looked over the bench and he wasn't over there, so I found out at halftime.
“Level of concern? I think he'll be fine.”
LeBron James on the lopsided loss with Anthony Davis sidelined the last three quarters; “When our best player goes out it’s always challenging, especially in the game” pic.twitter.com/CEHHH1b0UE
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) January 29, 2025
The Lakers have been able to stay relatively healthy this season, which has helped them stay afloat in the Western Conference. The hope now is that Davis' injury isn't too serious and he's able to return sooner than later for the Lakers.




Lakers lose frustrating game to 76ers
Besides Anthony Davis being out for most of the game, the Lakers seemed like they just couldn't get in a rhythm. After the game, head coach JJ Redick was honest about why he thought the Lakers lost.
“You're not going to win a game if somebody takes 19 more shots than you and gets 8 more offensive rebounds,” Redick said. “We were throwing the ball everywhere. I think that is just fatigue, mental and physical. Just bad decision making and poor execution. Very unorganized throughout the game.”
The Lakers find themselves still fifth in the Western Conference, and they're looking to make some deals around the trade deadline to improve their team. If Davis is out for some games, they're going to need their frontcourt depth to step up, but they've also been in discussions with the Indiana Pacers for Myles Turner. That would be the perfect center to put alongside Davis, but also play by himself and give the Lakers a boost at the position.