Getty Anthony Davis and Dennis Schroder
After the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Golden State Warriors on March 5 at Crypto.com Arena, Anthony Davis had some high praise for Dennis Schroder.
Davis called Schroder a tough player for playing on his left ankle injury. The veteran sprained his ankle on March 1 versus the Oklahoma City Thunder. Schroder finished the OKC game and played against the Minnesota Timberwolves and Warriors.
Anthony Davis on Dennis Schroder playing through injury: “It’s a lot of pressure on him right now. He’s our primary ball-handler. … He’s very tough. He knows what’s at stake. He wants to get to the playoffs. He wants to win. … Hats off to him. He’s been a huge part for us.”
Schroder played 33 minutes versus the Warriors. He finished with 11 points and six assists while shooting 4-of-13 from the field and 1-of-4 from beyond the arc. The 29-year-old played tough defense on Warriors superstar Stephen Curry, who shot 8-of-20 overall and 5-of-13 from 3 in his first game since February 4.
Dennis Schroder on his ankle: “I feel good now. Last game, I was thinking about it a little bit.”
The Lakers improved to 31-34 after defeating the Warriors. They are now a half-game back of the New Orleans Pelicans for the 10th spot in the West. Seeds 7-10 make the play-in tournament.
Anthony Davis Dominated the Warriors
The Warriors had no answers for Davis, who put up 39 points, eight rebounds and six assists in 38 minutes of action. The All-Star big man shot 14-of-25 from the field and 10-of-13 from the free-throw line. Davis had a plus-minus of +17.
Anthony Davis over his last 4 games:
33.8 PPG, 55% FG, 11.8 RPG and 3.0 BPG
🤯
Since LeBron James is expected to be out for the next few weeks with a right foot tendon injury, Davis will have to lead the Lakers on both ends of the court.
“The stars are aligning for the Lakers even with James sidelined,” CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn wrote on March 5. “If Davis can keep playing like this, the Lakers can keep their heads above water long enough for LeBron to recover and for them as a team to become one of the more dangerous teams the play-in round will ever produce. The version of Davis we got in prior seasons wasn’t up to this task. But right now? He’s every bit the partner James needed to take over his team while he recovers.”
The Lakers’ next game is against the Memphis Grizzlies on March 7. Grizzlies star Ja Morant won’t play, so Los Angeles could be favored to win that contest.
Could the Lakers Sign Kemba Walker?
Peter Dewey of Lakers Daily reported on March 3 that the Lakers are “considering bringing in” Kemba Walker for a workout. The purple and gold are looking for another ball-handler since James and D’Angelo Russell are injured.
“Sources tell Lakers Daily that the Lakers are considering bringing in Kemba Walker for a workout,” Dewey wrote. “The team is looking for another ball-handler with LeBron James expected to miss extended time due to a foot injury.”
Walker appeared in nine games for the Dallas Mavericks this season before getting waived in January. He averaged 8.0 points, 1.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists while shooting 42.1% from the field, 25.0% from beyond the arc and 81.0% from the free-throw line. The 32-year-old UConn product scored 32 points on December 17 against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Walker has career averages of 19.3 points and 5.3 assists with the Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and Mavericks. He hasn’t been an All-Star since 2020. Walker has dealt with chronic knee issues, preventing him from playing at a high level.