Los Angeles Lakers stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis have been playing regular minutes since the start of the 2020-21 season despite the extremely short offseason that preceded it.
However, the two All-Stars often appear on the Lakers injury report, with Davis even sitting out two games — victories over the Minnesota Timberwolves and Chicago Bulls so far this season. His status has been affected by various conditions: right calf contusion, right adductor strain and lower back tightness.
Lakers head coach Frank Vogel said Davis has indeed been grappling with minor injuries but added he was not concerned about the All-Star’s health. “He’s just got a couple of nagging injuries that we are obligated to report, so that’s why it’s being listed the way it is,” Vogel said.
“But there’s nothing that’s concerning big picture.”
Vogel previously offered a similar explanation as to why James was continuously listed as questionable ahead of games, saying the 36-year-old has been dealing with a mild soreness in his ankle.
“We’ll continue to have him on the injury report as long as there’s some of that soreness,” the head coach said.
Nevertheless, James and Davis have been in fine form since the start of the campaign. And with the Lakers cruising to several blowout wins, both have been able to keep their minutes down thus far.
James supports Davis in holding Lakers accountable for defensive woes
Not only has Davis been continuously showing off his generational talent but also recently proved he was becoming an influential leader. Before L.A. switched gears last week, the forward called the team out for a poor defensive display during the home loss to San Antonio Spurs.
And James, who co-captains the Lakers with Davis, said his teammate’s criticism was justified.
“We thought it was right on point and we were able to follow that with a very good defensive game against Chicago, even though we didn’t score the ball like we were accustomed to,” James said. “And then we followed it up with another good defensive game. We heard him loud and clear.”
The Lakers also are on a five-game winning streak since Davis’ remarks, with each victory coming handedly.
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