Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis will be reevaluated in two to three weeks after suffering a calf strain on Sunday and is unlikely to return to training before the All-Star break on March 5-10. NBA, sources told ESPN.
Davis missed two games last week with a right Achilles tendinosis and had to come out of Sunday’s loss to the Denver Nuggets shortly before the break after the injury worsened.
An MRI on Monday revealed the calf’s strain and worsening of the right Achilles tendinosis, a source told ESPN, but did not show a rupture of the right Achilles tendon.
In a statement, the Lakers said Davis will come out Tuesday against the Timberwolves and will be evaluated by the team’s doctors in Los Angeles.
The Lakers and Davis will be conservative on a timeline for their return to play. Even before the MRI, CEO Rob Pelinka, Davis and Agent Rich Paul discussed devoting their time to Davis’ return to training, sources told ESPN.
Davis suffered the injury late in the second quarter of Sunday’s game as he drove over Nikola Jokic and collided with his legs with the Nuggets center. Jokic’s right knee came in contact with Davis’ right quad. When Davis picked up his dribble after the foul was called and planted his foot, it seemed to aggravate his right lower leg.
Davis stayed in the game to make two free throws, making both, and then scored with 2:36 in the second quarter and limped into the locker room with Lakers assistant athletic coach Jon Ishop by his side.
The nine-year veteran has been experiencing discomfort in his lower right leg for weeks and underwent an ultrasound last weekend, which confirmed the injury.
Davis played two games against the Oklahoma City Thunder and returned for Friday’s 115-105 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, against whom he scored 35 points in the 16-on-27 shootout, two of his highest seasons in to score. He was adamant that he didn’t run too soon, though he acknowledged he felt pain toward the end of the Memphis game.
Davis scored 15 points in 14 minutes with four rebounds and an assist before leaving Sunday’s game.
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin contributed to this report.