The Los Angeles Lakers entered Wednesday night with an opportunity to punch their ticket to the Western Conference Finals. All they had to do was knock off the defending champion Golden State Warriors at the Chase Center, something that has been difficult this season but L.A. was able to accomplish in Game 1.
The Warriors managed to keep them at arm’s length for much of the second half, and midway through the fourth quarter, an incident between Anthony Davis and Kevon Looney meant that any efforts at a late-game push to take the lead away would have to come without the services of perhaps the Lakers’ best players. Following a made layup by D’Angelo Russell, Looney swung his left arm around and accidentally connected with Davis’ face.
Anthony Davis took an elbow to the face by Kevon Looney and headed to the Lakers bench
pic.twitter.com/DCSyQQmflb
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) May 11, 2023
“As they were walking and escorting him, AD did not look as stable. He needed a little bit of help walking. he appeared to be a little bit dizzy.”@ChrisBHaynes on Anthony Davis, who isbeing evaluated in the concourse. https://t.co/mO0rKtGEae
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) May 11, 2023
Davis went to the bench in some serious discomfort, with his head in his hands as he was tended to by the medical staff. After making his way into the back for further evaluation, it was announced that Davis would not be able to return to the game with what the Lakers described as a head injury.
Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis (head injury) will not return to tonight’s game.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) May 11, 2023
Haynes went on to report that Davis made his way to the back in a wheelchair. It’s unclear how this could end up impacting Davis beyond this game, but we’ll let you know if this will end up holding him out of anything more than just the remainder of Game 5.