Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis will be re-evaluated in two to three weeks after having a calf strain on Sunday, and is unlikely to return after the NBA’s All-Star Break of March 5-10, sources said. told ESPN.
Davis missed two games with tendonosis in his Judge Achilles last week and had to leave Sunday’s defeat to the Denver Nuggets shortly before halftime after aggravating the injury.
An MRI on Monday revealed the calf strain and an exacerbation of tendonosis in the right Achilles, a source told ESPN, but did not show a fracture in the right Achilles tendon.
In a statement, the Lakers said Davis will be out against the Timberwolves on Tuesday and will be further evaluated by team doctors in Los Angeles.
The Lakers and Davis will be conservative on a timeline for his return. Even before the MRI, general manager Rob Pelinka, Davis and agent Rich Paul discussed taking their time with Davis’ return to the series, sources told ESPN.
Davis suffered the injury late in the second quarter of Sunday’s game when he hit Nikola Jokic and bumped legs with the Nuggets center. Jokic’s right knee made contact with Davis’ right wheel. When Davis collects his dribble after the offense is called and has his foot planted, he appears to be aggravating his lower right leg.
Davis stayed in the game to take two free throws, both of which made it, and then with 2:36 left in the second quarter, limping to the locker room with Jon Ishop, the Lakers athletic coach, by his side.
The nine-year veteran experienced discomfort in his lower leg for weeks and underwent an ultrasound that confirmed the injury.
Davis played two games against the Oklahoma City Thunder and returned for the 115-105 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, against whom he scored 35 points on 16-for-27 points – two less than his season. He was adamant that he did not rush back too soon, although he admitted that he felt hurt towards 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.