Lakers’ Anthony Davis says injury not to blame for 9-point night vs. Kings

LOS ANGELES – Lakers forward Anthony Davis confessed that the tightness in his left hip worsened during Wednesday night’s game, but he declined to attribute his subpar performance to it in a 125-110 defeat against the Sacramento Kings. “I just played bad,” Davis admitted after matching a season low of nine points on 3-of-9 shooting. “I’m not going to put it on anything. … It was just missed shots. I just played like s— tonight. It’s that simple.”

Davis, dealing with the hip injury for over a week, wasn’t the sole player to struggle as the Lakers’ three-game winning streak came to an end. He recorded five turnovers while the team committed a total of 23 turnovers, resulting in 30 points for the Kings.

Sacramento dominated the game, with strong performances from Domantas Sabonis, De’Aaron Fox, and Kevin Huerter, leading to a Lakers’ deficit of 20 points in the first quarter and 26 overall. Davis appeared to be restricted in his movements due to the injury, a stark contrast to his dominant performance in the Lakers’ previous game where he notched 19 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, and 6 blocks.

With little time between games, Davis acknowledged the challenges of managing the injury while playing on consecutive nights. Despite the discomfort, he remains committed to playing through it. The Lakers’ coach opted to keep their main rotation players on the court, even with a considerable deficit, though they were unable to overcome it.

LeBron James had a strong performance but the Lakers’ struggles continue, leaving them at 6-6 for the season. With several games approaching, the team recognizes the need to learn from their mistakes and move forward.

Despite the hip discomfort, Davis assured reporters that he will be back on the court for the Lakers’ upcoming game against Portland. “I’ll be fine,” he said. “Yeah, I’ll play. For sure.”