Down the stretch of the regular season, it’s not uncommon for teams to rest their best players in preparation for the battles to come. As a player with a long history of injuries, Anthony Davis stands a lot to gain from a few extra days of rest before the big playoff games. Sadly, the Lakers aren’t in a position to take nights off, and resting Davis (like they did against the Rockets last month) could have significant implications on a potential playoff run.
Speaking on ESPN’s First Take on Tuesday, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith sent a message to AD and encouraged him to play every game from here on out.
“You got one more victory if AD plays against Houston, but AD didn’t play that day because it was a back-to-back. They lost that game. So instead of being 40-38, you might have been 41-37 right now, which would have had you in the 6th seed and the Clippers and the Warriors would have been on the outside looking in. You can’t be sitting out at this time of year. Not with the money you’re making, not with a playoff berth on the line, not with championship aspirations, supposedly, in your window. You’re too important for that.”
.@stephenasmith NEEDS to know … Is Anthony Davis going to play? 😳
"You can't be sitting down out at this time of year. Not with the money you're making, not with a playoff berth on the line, not with championship aspirations, supposedly, in your window." pic.twitter.com/R52z7NeMCJ
— First Take (@FirstTake) April 4, 2023
Davis plans to play tonight against the Jazz tonight, though he is only listed as ‘probable’ in the injury report. With a back-to-back against the Clippers tomorrow, it’s possible AD could skip one of the next two games if the team doctors deem it necessary.
For now, though, Davis says he’s fully locked in and committed to doing whatever it takes to make the West bracket.
Can Lakers Stay Healthy For Long Playoff Stretch?
With the NBA postseason just a few days out, the pressure is on for LA to close out the season strong and come into the first round on the right note. Most important of all, however, will be maintaining good health and availability for AD and LeBron James, who is 38 years old.
“It’s great to be available to each other,” James said. “I hate when I’m sidelined, and he’s playing, and I think it’s vice-versa when he’s sidelined, and I’m playing. We came in together because we want to be on the floor together and make magic. He’s definitely making magic right now, for sure.”
Only time will tell us how this season pans out for the Purple and Gold, but we all know Anthony Davis will be the key to their success. If they want any hope of making a deep run and shocking the world, AD is going to have to be at his best and nothing less.
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