Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis. Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Anthony Davis reveals status for play-in after injury scare

By Sai Mohan | Last updated 4/15/24

Anthony Davis gave Lakers fans a big scare when he left Sunday's game against the Pelicans with an apparent back injury.

With 5:52 left in the fourth quarter, Davis was seen clutching his back from a non-contact play before limping to the scorer's desk. Davis then fell flat on his back and grimaced in pain before asking to be subbed out. The sequence forced announcers to make the dreaded "this doesn't look good" call on the live telecast.

Anthony Davis went back to the locker room after an apparent injury. pic.twitter.com/qKT6K4wl1Y
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 14, 2024

The injury also got the likes of Skip Bayless to set off the alarm bells.

OH, NO ... ANTHONY DAVIS HURT ... AGAIN. Didn't look like there was any real contact on the screen he set. But he couldn't continue because of his ... hip? Back? They tried to stretch him out. Kept grimacing. Always something. WITH HIM THEY CAN WIN IT ALL. WITHOUT HIM, DONE.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) April 14, 2024

Despite Davis' exit, the Lakers held onto a 124-108 victory over the Pelicans, a team they will again face in the No. 7 vs. No. 8 play-in game on Tuesday.

Will Davis be ready in time for the play-in clash?

"No doubt that I'm going to play," Davis told reporters after Sunday's injury scare. "I'll obviously see how it feels over the next 24 to 36 hours — get some treatments and massages — and get ready for Tuesday."

Davis then detailed the reason for his early exit from the game.

"Larry [Nance Jr.] just gave me a shove from the back and my back just locked up," Davis said. "It's nothing concerning, but I was in the air [when I got shoved]. It was hypertension and the back just locked up. Nothing concerning for me, though."

Those words will surely be music to the ears of every Laker fan worldwide, of which there are many. While it's ironic of Davis to suffer an injury scare in the regular season finale, the Kentucky product appeared in a career-high 76 games this season, the most since he played 75 games in 2017-18.

Davis averaged 24.7 points, 12.6 rebounds and 2.3 blocks from 76 games.

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