|
LOS ANGELES -- Two straight games without the full force of the Lakers' two superstars has left Los Angeles suddenly sputtering toward the finish line after surging for weeks. Anthony Davis arrived at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday night with the intention to play, but ended up going home before the Lakers' 134-120 loss to the Golden State Warriors because of a headache and nausea. This was after LeBron James was in a nearly identical situation on Sunday, leaving the building prior to the Lakers' defeat by the Minnesota Timberwolves because of flu-like symptoms. The 21-year veteran was a game-time decision Tuesday and went on to play 36 minutes, finishing with 33 points, 7 rebounds and 11 assists. On L.A.'s recent road trip, James said the Lakers would have to prioritize health over seeding down the stretch. But implementing that plan now has the Lakers back in the No. 9 slot in the West, just a half-game up on the Warriors -- who own the tiebreaker by winning their season series 3-1 -- with two games remaining on the road in Memphis and New Orleans. "We know we're as good as any team in the league when we're whole," James said. "And when we're not, it's hard for us to make up, especially having a guy like AD not playing. It's almost pretty much impossible to make up for what he provides for our ballclub both offensively and defensively." Davis missed most of the Lakers' 127-117 loss to Minnesota on Sunday after aggravating a left eye injury from an inadvertent strike to the face by the Wolves' Kyle Anderson while scoring on a putback. Davis was ruled out of Tuesday's game about an hour and 45 minutes before tipoff. Lakers coach Darvin Ham said Davis showed up to the arena "trying to do everything he could to play," but he just couldn't quite overcome the headache and the nausea. Asked about Davis' status for the final two games of the regular season, Ham said, "We'll see how A wakes up tomorrow morning." L.A. canceled its scheduled practice for Wednesday. The Lakers will convene at the practice court Thursday before their flight to Memphis. James arrived at the arena approximately an hour and five minutes before tipoff with his hooded sweatshirt pulled over his head as he sipped hot tea. When asked if he was going to play, James told ESPN, "I'm about to find out." James was cleared to play 45 minutes before tipoff, the team announced. "I thought Bron was phenomenal," Ham said. "Going through what he's been through the last 48 hours, he gave it his all. We had some looks that didn't go down, shots we normally make. It's a make-or-miss league. He did everything in his power to try and will the team back to a win, and it just didn't work out. We fell short." L.A. had won nine out of 10 before dropping two straight at home in the past three days. While the postseason picture looks vastly different than just a few days ago, the Lakers can still pass several of the teams around them in the standings by winning out and getting some help from Golden State, Sacramento, Phoenix and New Orleans with losses.
|
