Lakers News: Further Details On Anthony Davis Illness
Your Los Angeles Lakers suffered a dual loss last night against the team that drafted LeBron James, the Cleveland Cavaliers: both the defeat itself, a 116-102 game that was closer than the final margin suggested, and the loss of Anthony Davis, who left the game late in the game's first period with flu-like symptoms, never to return.
L.A. head coach Darvin Ham spoke with reporters following the defeat to offer some clarity regarding the timeline of AD's illness throughout Tuesday.
"It progressively got worse [throughout the day]," Ham explained. "His temperature went over 100, I believe it was 101 and some change. He said he was going to try to give a go, which he did, but just felt too weak, just kind of drained, dehydrated a little bit. But it's that time of the [year], in terms of wintertime, and... changes in climates, coming from L.A. and going to these different places... Like I said, it set in earlier today and it sort of worsened as the day went on."
"He just stayed around [the team], they put fluids in him, gave him some meds, and just kept him back here, tried to keep him as warm as possible," Ham revealed.
Davis had been on an absolutely unreal hot streak prior to the illness, helping resuscitate both his own value league-wide and the Lakers' flailing 2022-23 season. After starting out 2-10, L.A. had gone on an 8-2 run prior to last night's Cavs loss.
Across the nine games in that run Davis was healthy to play, the eight-time All-Star had been looking like an MVP candidate. He posted unreal averages of 35.3 points on .648/.455/.880 shooting splits, 15.6 rebounds, 2.9 blocks, 2.7 assists, and 1.2 steals a night. The three-point shooting (45.5% on a scant 1.2 tries per game) was something of a shock, given that he had connected on just 25% of his 1.5 long range looks through prior to that aforementioned Lakers hot streak.
Our fingers are crossed Davis will be healthy sooner rather than later. After all, L.A. sure could use their best player tonight against the Toronto Raptors.
