WATCH: Anthony Davis gets involved in a bizarre sequence of play after getting an untimely groin injury
Anthony Davis has earned a reputation for being injury-prone throughout his NBA career. This season, he has been determined to defy critics and maintain good health, having missed only one game so far. Unfortunately, during the In-Season Tournament (IST) finals between the LA Lakers and the Indiana Pacers, Davis encountered a string of unfortunate events.
Davis appeared to sustain a groin injury while contending for a rebound against Buddy Hield and Isaiah Jackson of the Pacers in the third quarter of the IST finals. The 30-year-old didn’t appear to have taken a direct hit to the groin area, but he was clutching the region in evident discomfort.
Earlier last month, Anthony Davis experienced hip and groin spasms, leading to his sole absence from a game this season.
Fortunately for Lakers fans, Anthony Davis remained in the game, even though it was evident that he was dealing with discomfort. However, unfortunately for Davis, he was struck by the ball as Cam Reddish attempted to initiate a fast break.
Davis remained on the other end of the floor. As Reddish made a defensive stop, he threw the ball to Davis, who was still down the other end, inadvertently hitting him. The play wouldn't have counted anyway, as Reddish stepped out of bounds before making the pass.
Anthony Davis says groin injury caused Lakers’ loss to Suns in 2021 playoffs
Following their 2020 championship victory in the bubble season, the LA Lakers aimed to defend their title in 2021 as they squared off against the Phoenix Suns in the first round.
The Lakers secured victories in two of the first three matchups, with Anthony Davis delivering impressive 34-point double-doubles in both wins.
However, the narrative took a turn when Davis suffered a groin injury. He played only 19 minutes in Game 4, missed Game 5 entirely, and only managed a mere five minutes in Game 6.
The Lakers lost all three games Davis was unhealthy in, while the Suns eventually reached the NBA Finals.
A year removed from that playoff run, in March 2022, Davis said the Suns would not have reached the finals had he remained healthy in that series.
Davis was questioned about whether his groin injury was the reason the Lakers were unable to defeat the Suns in the playoffs that season, and he responded:
“It was … We know that. They know that … They got away with one."
This offseason, Davis secured a contract extension valued at $186 million spanning three years, extending his commitment to the Lakers through the 2027-28 season.