Anthony Davis injury update

Anthony Davis has been the instigator for the unforeseen prosperity that the Los Angeles Lakers have relished in the playoffs. Following his assistance in the Lakers' entry into the playoffs via the play-in round, Davis dominated the first round series against the Memphis Grizzlies with his defense, and his defense at the rim thwarted the Golden State Warriors in most of their first four games in the second round.

However, at present, after completing the fifth game, the Lakers are confronted with a palpable possibility of having to conclude the series without him. During the final quarter on Wednesday, Davis was struck on the head by the forearm of the Warriors' towering player, Kevon Looney, on a layup attempt by D'Angelo Russell. As a result, Davis was forced to exit the game and was promptly escorted away in a wheelchair for further examination, as stated by TNT's Chris Haynes.

Following the game, Lakers coach Darvin Ham expressed his optimism but refrained from sharing any specific details. "He received a blow to his head," Ham stated. "However, he appears to be recuperating well already. That is the current status of his condition."

"I have faith that he will participate [on Friday]," Lakers guard Austin Reaves conveyed to ESPN's Dave McMenamin. McMenamin reported that Davis felt "woozy" but was not instantly diagnosed with a concussion.

Subsequently, Davis was assessed by athletic trainer Jon Ishop on the Lakers' bench before being moved to the back of the arena for further medical attention. A source disclosed to ESPN that Davis was placed in a wheelchair and conveyed to a training room after feeling "woozy." Nevertheless, Davis was able to leave the arena unaided and walk to the team bus by the conclusion of the evening.

According to a source closely associated with the Lakers' center, there was no mention of a concussion following an initial assessment of Davis.

As per ESPN, Davis' parents along with Lakers executive Rob Pelinka and his agent, Rich Paul, paid him a visit while he was in the training room. Haynes also mentioned that the Lakers have a positive outlook that Davis did not suffer from a concussion. However, if the diagnosis turns out otherwise, the NBA has strict protocols that could make his participation in Game 6 doubtful.

According to the NBA's concussion protocol, if a player is diagnosed with a concussion, they should be closely monitored for 24 hours to check for any symptoms. The player cannot begin the return-to-participation exertion process until 24 hours after the injury. To be eligible to return to the game after a concussion, the player must meet the following conditions: they must be symptom-free at rest, be evaluated by a doctor, complete the NBA's return-to-participation exertion process successfully, and the team physician must discuss the return-to-participation process with the director of the NBA's concussion program. These are the necessary steps for ensuring that a player's health and well-being are protected after a head injury.

The Los Angeles Lakers are obligated to release an injury report on Thursday prior to Game 6. In the event that Anthony Davis is not included in that report, it is probable that he will participate in Friday's evening contest in Los Angeles. However, if it is disclosed that Davis did indeed have to undergo concussion protocol, it is highly likely that he will be absent for the remaining games of the series. The question then arises, can the Lakers secure a victory in the absence of Davis?

We’ll update this story as it develops.