Outcome of Lakers-Warriors playoff series hinges on Anthony Davis' head injury
SAN FRANCISCO -- Sometime on Thursday, official word will come down on the seriousness of the head injury suffered by Los Angeles Lakers star center Anthony Davis.
If Davis is forced to enter the NBA's concussion protocol, he won't be available for Game 6 on Friday night and more than likely would also be benched for Sunday's deciding Game 7 if it is needed.
The Lakers lead the best-of-seven series 3-2.
Davis injured his head in what appeared to be an inadvertent hit by Golden State's Kevon Looney midway through the fourth quarter of the Warriors' 121-106 Game 5 victory in the Western Conference semifinals Wednesday night.
He grabbed at his head grimacing on the bench before going to the locker room following the play with 7:43 remaining. He and Looney were battling for positioning in the paint on a driving layup by the Lakers' D'Angelo Russell.
Davis' status for Game 6 on Friday night back in Los Angeles is unclear but coach Darivn Ham was encouraged afterward without providing details on what evaluation — such as concussion testing — the big man went through once in the locker room. TNT reported Davis required a wheelchair to go to the locker room.
Another good sign was Davis walking out of Chase Center on his own.
"Obviously, everyone saw he took a shot to the head, but we just checked in on him, he seems to be doing really good already," Ham said. "That's just where he's at. That's the status of it right now."
Davis finished with 23 points on 10-for-18 shooting, nine rebounds and three assists but didn't block a shot.
Teammate Austin Reaves reported Davis doing "better" as a positive sign, but that Los Angeles would be ready with or without him.
"Obviously, AD is huge to what we do. I believe he'll play, but if that's not the case, we're still a group of NBA basketball players that have played games without him this year," Reaves said. "You never want to play a big game without a guy like that. But that's the nature of the game."
Steph Curry and the Warriors fully expect to see AD come Friday night.
"I have no idea what happened to him or what his situation is," Curry said, "but I would say yeah."