Lakers' Anthony Davis eye injury won't get Kareem Abdul-Jabbar treatment
11/12/2024 04:00 PM
It always seems like Anthony Davis is showing up on the injury report for the Los Angeles Lakers. Although he already missed a game this season, the good news is that Davis is off to a super fast start and has remained healthy over the last year. The bad news is that Davis suffered an eye injury in the team’s last game against the Toronto Raptors and was ultimately examined by an ophthalmologist due to the swelling.
Initially, there was concern that Davis’ eye injury could be problematic, but he has been cleared to play and will suit up against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday without missing any time, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Davis, who was in good spirits at practice in Los Angeles on Tuesday, also pointed out that he won’t be wearing any protective goggles, which would’ve caused many Lakers fans to compare him to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
“The eye is fine,” Davis told reporters. “I’m doing fine. Nothing happens next. I go about my day like I would any other day. There’s nothing that I need to do. Next step is getting more sleep and get ready for tomorrow.
“As far as the medical term and everything and all that, I am not 100 percent sure, but I am cleared to play.”
The Lakers big man made it clear that goggles were an option for him, yet the eye doctor had no problem with him continuing to play without them. To keep things brief, Davis simply didn’t want goggles, so he isn’t going to be wearing them after getting his eye swiped at.
Anthony Davis doing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar things
Despite some of Los Angeles’ recent struggles, Davis has been off to arguably the best start of his now 13-year career in the NBA.
Through nine games, Davis has averaged 31.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game while shooting 57.7 percent from the floor. He is only one of three players averaging at least 30 points per game, joining Giannis Antetokounmpo (31.6) and Jayson Tatum (30.5), and the Lakers big man ranks third in field goal percentage (min. 150 attempts).
It is no surprise to see Davis getting love early on in the NBA’s MVP race because of what he has been able to achieve on the court.
When it comes down to it, the Lakers are going to be able to go as far as Davis can take them, similar to Kareem’s role decades ago. Just as Abdul-Jabbar was the engine of Los Angeles’ offense, Davis is the No. 1 option for this team, a role that LeBron James has had no problem giving him.
From the double-doubles to the insane scoring feats in the paint, Davis continues to put his name in Lakers history books next to greats like Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem. However, Davis isn’t going to fully follow in the footsteps of the Lakers legend, as goggles are not an option for him after this recent eye injury.
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