Davis to sit out Lakers' showdown with Warriors due to aftereffects of head blow

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Anthony Davis is sitting out of the Los Angeles Lakers' showdown with the Golden State Warriors due to the aftereffects of a blow to his head two days earlier.

Lakers coach Darvin Ham said Davis had been ruled out about 90 minutes before tipoff Tuesday night.

“He showed up to the arena trying to do everything he could to play, but just couldn't overcome the headache and the nausea,” Ham said.

Davis was evaluated for a possible concussion, but is not currently in the league's concussion protocol, Ham said.

Davis was hit in the face near his eye in the final minute of the first quarter of the Lakers' loss to Minnesota on Sunday night, and he didn't return to the game. The nine-time All-Star took the blow from the Timberwolves' Kyle Anderson in the same area where he got elbowed in the eye by Golden State’s Trayce Jackson-Davis during the Lakers' loss to the Warriors on March 16.

Davis' absence is a major concern for the ninth-place Lakers, who have won nine of 11 heading into this meeting with 10th-place Golden State. Los Angeles is 26-13 since the holiday season, but has been unable to move up even one spot in the stacked Western Conference standings.

Davis has played in 74 games this season. That's the most since 2018 in New Orleans for the nine-time All-Star, who had finally enjoyed nearly a full season free of major injury absences before he was forced out at the most crucial point of the regular season.

Davis is averaging 24.5 points, 12.6 rebounds and 2.4 blocks. He is the anchor of the Lakers' defense and the top interior offensive threat for a team also missing Christian Wood and Jarred Vanderbilt due to injury.

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