Darvin Ham elated at Anthony Davis’ return from injury - “I know how frustrating this process has been for him” -
Los Angeles Lakers superstar Anthony Davis made his long-awaited return from injury on Wednesday night against the San Antonio Spurs. With Davis back in action, Lakers head coach Darvin Ham shared his thoughts on having a crucial element of his roster back in the rotation.
Anthony Davis is undoubtedly the focal point of the LA Lakers. After being acquired via trade in the 2019 offseason, Davis made an immediate impact on the team's overall performance.
Pairing up with LeBron James to form one of the most potent duos in the NBA, James and Davis paved the way for a new era in Purple and Gold history. After winning the title in his first season itself, Davis was destined for greatness.
While still great in every sense of the term, the Lakers' big man has repeatedly been plagued with injuries. These injuries have left him sidelined for significant stretches of the season. Needless to say, this greatly affected LA's chances of contending for the title.
However, with him returning for his first game since December 16th, the Lakers will be overjoyed to see their pillar back in action.
Lakers head coach Darvin Ham certainly shared the sentiment of the team in this regard. In an interview with Spectrum SportsNet, Ham said:
"I'm happy for him, first of all. I know how frustrating this process has been for him. Especially at the level at which he was playing. I'm just happy for him and definitely happy for us."
Ham also added by saying:
"We'll get him out there. We won't go too crazy with his minutes and see how he responds."
"I know how frustrating this process has been for him. I'm just happy for him and definitely happy for us." Darvin Ham on @AntDavis23's return. #LakeShow https://t.co/uSRms5ymtj
Ham mentioned that Davis will be coming off the bench with a restriction imposed upon him. However, Ham would also be willing to go over this if the game requires him to stay on longer to secure a win.
With Davis missing 20 games, the team featured a 10-10 record in his absence. Given the Lakers' start to the season, this has not been favorable.
Read: 5 NBA players infamous for load management in the regular season
Anthony Davis comes off the bench against the San Antonio Spurs
Anthony Davis' return to the rotation was greeted by another career milestone for the LA Lakers superstar. Davis also came off the bench for the first time since 2013.
Davis entered the league as one of the most promising prospects the NBA has ever seen. As a big man with incredible length, skill, and athleticism. Naturally, this meant that he was set to start in almost every game he played.
The big man played the only game of his career coming off the bench on December 18th, 2013. More than 3,000 days later, Davis made his return as part of the Lakers' bench mob.
Anthony Davis looked a little rusty early in the game. However, two huge blocks before the end of the first quarter and some solid scoring since have been reassuring.
Read: Shannon Sharpe gives LA Lakers incredibly low chances to win NBA title with a healthy Anthony Davis