Anthony Davis injury update, Game 6 status provided by Brian Windhorst
Windhorst gives update on AD injury, Game 6 status vs. Dubs originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
Lakers center Anthony Davis' status remains unknown after he exited Wednesday’s Game 5 loss to the Warriors in a wheelchair with a head injury.
However, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst provided an update on the process should the 6-foot-10 big man enter the NBA's concussion protocol before Friday night's Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals.
“This is not to take anything away from the game the Warriors played last night because they played terrific, but Anthony Davis and whether he can avoid the concussion protocol is the most important thing going on in the NBA right now,” Windhorst said Thursday morning on ESPN’s “Get Up.” “And it’s not something that would have been decided last night. He will continue to be evaluated today to see if he develops symptoms.
“I will tell you that having covered situations like that for the past 15 years, every concussion situation is different. None are the same. You cannot make assumptions. The other thing is this: It’s not necessarily the way he feels. There’s a series of tests they put him through that they can pair him to tests that he had when he was not concussed, to see how he’s reacting. If he has to go into concussion protocol, it is not a matter of how he’s feeling, or whether he can play through things. There is a predetermined list of return-to-play guidelines that take time.
“If he goes into protocol today, Game 6, almost 100 percent he will not be able to play, no matter what. Not up to him, not up to anything, and even Game 7, because of the return-to-play protocols, I would say, in my experience, very unlikely if he enters concussion protocol.”
Davis sustained the injury during the fourth quarter of Game 5, when Kevon Looney's arm made contact with the Lakers star's face while the players fought for a rebound. Lakers coach Darvin Ham later provided an optimistic update on Davis.
"He seems to be doing really good already," Ham told reporters after Game 5. "That’s the status of it right now."
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The Lakers, per NBA protocol, will release an injury report ahead of Friday's game.
"If Anthony Davis is not on the injury report, it would be tremendous, good news for the Lakers and their ability to have him available for tomorrow night’s huge closeout opportunity at home," Windhorst said.
Davis has been one of the biggest factors in this series, averaging 22.4 points on 58.1 percent shooting with 13.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.4 steals and 2.2 blocks in 37 minutes played through the first five games.
