Anthony Davis may be dinged up yet again.
Following Sunday night’s loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, a game in which the New Orleans Pelicans scrapped and clawed until the very end, Davis apparently needed to undergo an MRI on his right foot, according to ESPN.com’s Royce Young and Justin Verrier:
New Orleans Pelicans star Anthony Davis underwent an X-ray after a 101-92 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, according to league sources.
Davis denied the account when approached by ESPN, but the Pelicans forward was observed receiving treatment, including a black wrap, on his right foot at his locker before speaking to the media.
Davis, who had 37 points and 15 rebounds in 43 minutes, was observed wincing and hobbling at times early in the game but appeared to be walking without a noticeable limp in the locker room.
Perhaps it’s good that Davis is denying the report. That implies the issue with his right foot really isn’t that big of a deal. And if he was limping early in the game, only for the pain and said limp to fade as the game wore on, the X-ray could have just been a precautionary measure.
Of course, that Davis still played 43 minutes of a 48-minute game after injuring himself, and after noticeably favoring said injury, is kind of a big deal. Especially if he misses any time.
The Pelicans are a colossal crapfest whenever Davis isn’t on the floor, but they’re not contending for a championship. A playoff berth even feels out of the question. His long-term healthy should be given top priority, particularly with his list of past maladies staring New Orleans in the face.
This isn’t to say head coach Alvin Gentry acted irresponsibly or with inexplicable ignorance. But it is weird that David would play almost the entire game, only to purportedly need an X-ray after the fact.
