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    Lakers’ Anthony Davis sits out against Nets with lingering foot ailment
    • January 18, 2025

    LOS ANGELES — Lakers All-Star big man Anthony Davis was a late scratch for Friday night’s home game against the Brooklyn Nets because of left plantar fasciitis – an injury designation that has lingered for the past two months.

    Davis started the day as probable to play before being downgraded to questionable a little less than an hour before tipoff and ruled out 30 minutes before the game.

    Friday was Davis’ third missed game of the season and his first absence since the Jan. 2 home win against the Portland Trail Blazers, which was the first night of a back-to-back, with Davis playing on the second night of the back-to-back set (a win against the Atlanta Hawks).

    With Davis out, Jaxson Hayes started at center alongside Austin Reaves, Max Christie, Rui Hachimura and LeBron James.

    Davis, who is averaging 25.8 points on 52.3% shooting, 11.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.1 blocked shots per game, has been on the injury report with a left foot ailment since a Nov. 6 road loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, a game he missed because of a “left heel contusion.” The team changed his injury designation to left plantar fasciitis ahead of the Nov. 8 home win against the Philadelphia 76ers.

    The 31-year-old Davis has listed as probable because of the foot ailment ahead of most games over the past two months.

    Dorian Finney-Smith missed his second consecutive game because of personal reasons. His wife announced the birth of their child on Wednesday morning on Instagram.

    Newly-signed two-way contract big man Trey Jemison III was also available on Friday, while fellow two-way big man Christian Koloko was inactive.

    “I gotta be a dog, man,” the 6-foot-10, 270-pound Jemison said Friday of Coach JJ Redick’s message to him. “Just bring great energy on the bench, games, talking loud. Be physical. Just be extremely physical, just help.

    “I’m not here to be a superstar and I’m not here to score a lot of points; rebound, block shots, play defense.”

    RUSSELL’S RETURN

    There was a familiar face on the Nets for the Lakers, with Friday being D’Angelo Russell’s first game against the Lakers since the franchise traded him on Dec. 29, along with Maxwell Lewis and three second-round draft picks, to Brooklyn for Finney-Smith and Shake Milton.

    Russell averaged a career-low 12.4 points in 26.3 minutes, which was his lowest minutes average since his third season, before the Lakers traded him.

    He averaged 16.6 points and 5.9 assists during his entire second stint with the franchise.

    Reaves, who Russell quickly befriended after rejoining the Lakers ahead of the February 2023 trade deadline, spoke about what he learned from Russell during their near two years as teammates.

    “When he first got here, his main message to me was don’t let the distractions distract you,” Reaves said. “It was like, ‘you’re too good to get caught up in all the stuff that comes with not being in L.A. but playing for the organization. There’s always some type of chatter or something that’s going on around here.

    “I think him being here in his young days, he learned that probably in a hard way. Basically taught me or kept preaching to me from day one not to get caught up in all that stuff. To just go out there and be a killer and do what I do. Like I’ve said a billion times, I have a bunch of love and respect for him. For all he all he taught me and we’ll continue to grow, learn, and our friendship will continue to grow.”

    ​ Orange County Register 

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