Thanks in large part to big efforts from Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins, the Golden State Warriors were able to stave off elimination in their second-round playoff series with the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, winning Game 5 by a 121-106 score. Anthony Davis‘ absence down the stretch probably didn’t hurt matters, either.
Davis, who scored 23 points on 10-of-18 shooting over 32 minutes of play, exited the court shortly after the eight-minute mark of quarter No. 4 when he caught an errant elbow to the head from Warriors big man Kevon Looney as the two battled for position on a D’Angelo Russell drive.
In the immediate aftermath of the incident, there were concerns about Davis having potentially suffered a concussion; the Lakers pivot eventually required the use of a wheelchair to get back to the locker room. And, after the contest, head coach Darvin Ham didn’t disclose what kind of testing Davis had undergone.
According to Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes, however, the eight-time All-Star seemingly avoided major injury. And a Thursday follow-up report yielded additional reason for the Warriors’ opponents to feel optimistic.
Chris Haynes: Anthony Davis Could Be Right Back on the Floor for the Lakers
Lakers fans were already breathing sighs of relief when ESPN’s Dave McMenamin noted that Davis was able to leave Chase Center after the contest without any special assistance. Flash forward to now and they’ve been given more potential good news amid the series’ return to Los Angeles.
“Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis (head injury) is expected to be available for Game 6 on Friday barring a setback,” Haynes tweeted on Thursday, citing league sources.
Davis has been ultra-efficient on the offensive end throughout the series with the Dubs. Across five games, he has connected on 58.1% of his field-goal attempts and 89.7% of his free throws while averaging 22.4 points, 13.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.
On the other hand, the on/off tracking numbers haven’t exactly painted a pretty portrait of his scoreboard impact. The Lakers have actually been outscored by 2.9 points per 100 possessions when Davis has been on the court in the series. Meanwhile, they’re plus-6.0 points/100 poss. when he sits.
Still, knowing you’ll have another superstar on the court next to LeBron James is probably a good feeling.
Draymond Green Credits His Legendary College Coach for Big Night
He may not have been Golden State’s pace-setter from a point production standpoint during Game 5; that distinction went to Steph Curry, who dropped 27 on the night. But the additional offense Green was able to provide was hugely impactful in the result. His defensive effort definitely stood out as well.
Dub Nation can thank Green’s old coach at Michigan State, Hall of Famer Tom Izzo, for helping to bring the additional fire out of his former player.
“He texted me yesterday,” Green said of Izzo after the Warriors’ win, via NBC Sports Bay Area. “Said, ‘I’ll be out there tomorrow.’ And he texted me this morning and said, ‘Alright, goddamnit, I’m here.’ I was like alright, let’s go.”
For his part, Warriors coach Steve Kerr appreciated Green’s in-game response to Izzo’s motivational tactics.
“He was aggressive right from the start. Picked up a foul on the first play and didn’t care. Made no bones about it. He’s like, ‘I’m coming. I’m coming.’”
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Warriors May Not Get a Break From Anthony Davis Amid Lakers Star’s Head Injury