LA must win this matchup with Phoenix this evening.
Los Angeles Lakers star big man Anthony Davis’ status has been upgraded to probable to play tonight against the Phoenix Suns in the team’s first game of the in-season tournament. Davis missed LA’s 128-94 thrashing at the hands of the Houston Rockets on Wednesday.
The news was first broken by NBA insider Shams Charania of The Athletic:
The Lakers will need Davis back for this game because the Suns are a formidable offensive team. Although Suns guard Devin Booker is out of the game, Phoenix still has Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant, their two-headed monster.
The Suns aren’t the biggest team, but Davis will at least give the Lakers a real defensive threat. If Davis suits up, LA should therefore have the advantage inside the painted area tonight.
During their first encounter earlier in the season, Davis completely outplayed the Suns. He contributed 12 rebounds and 30 points to the Lakers’ victory. During the game, Davis added three more blocks.
The Lakers are in dire need of a victory to halt their three-game losing streak going into this contest. Los Angeles has struggled with numerous injuries this season, and it has shown in some of their recent performances. However, Davis’ return is welcome news, particularly considering how badly Los Angeles lost their most recent game to the Houston Rockets without him.
First and foremost, the Lakers must prioritise defence if they hope to win tonight. The Lakers could be in good shape if they can even slightly slow down Phoenix, as the Suns thrive on their offensive attack.
Rebounding will be crucial in this one as well, and LA will need their role players to step up. This is yet another explanation for why the Lakers probably benefit from Davis’s participation.