LeBron James and Anthony Davis are expected to play Wednesday against the Clippers. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Lakers fans will get their Christmas wish after all. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski superstar duo LeBron James and Anthony Davis will suit up for the Christmas Day showdown with cross-town rivals the LA Clippers.
The Lakers (24-6) are coming off a three-game losing streak, having last been beaten by fellow Western Conference opponents the Denver Nuggets. Lakers head coach Frank Vogel confirmed Monday that both James and Davis did not practice and were listed as questionable to play on Wednesday.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis are both questionable to play on Christmas Day.
AD Returned to the Nuggets Game After Injuring Knee
James (thoracic muscle strain), did not suit up for the purple and gold Sunday and has not spoken publicly since his injuries were revealed. Davis did play in the 128-104 defeat, but complained of a sore right knee.
In this address to the media, the former Kentucky Wildcat said he was trying his best to get heal in time for the highly-anticipated contest.
“We’ve got two days before our next game, so plenty of enough time to get it back right,” Davis said. “Hopefully nothing significant happens and (I can) get some treatment on it and continue to move forward.”
Despite the criticism that ensued, Vogel defended his decision to allow his star power forward to remain in the game.
“He tweaked it and felt good enough to go back into the game so we just rolled with it. I didn’t feel like he looked limited,” the 46-year-old said, via Lakers Nation.
The PG-Kawhi Pairing: So Far so Good
Wednesday’s showdown is proving to be one to remember. Not only is it the final game of the night, but it could leave both teams with more questions than answers heading into the new year.
Meanwhile, the Clippers are looking to ensure they don’t undergo back-to-back losses themselves. Doc Rivers’ men suffered a loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder Sunday, so they’ll be entering the Christmas contest with somewhat of a chip on their shoulder. Not to mention, fans want to see which all-star pairing prevails. The Kawhi Leonard-Paul George collaboration has proven to be successful so far and the numbers surely don’t lie.
Per Sports Illustrated, Leonard and PG13 are outscoring opponents by 13.5 points per 100 possessions when they play on the court together. Both players are great shooters and even better athletes defensively. That poses some concerns for the Lake Show, who will be struggling to determine who will cover the reigning Finals MVP and six-time All Star.
Whatever Wednesday holds, it will surely won’t be a game to miss.