The Los Angeles Lakers visit the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night. LeBron James and Anthony Davis are both on the injury report, with both listed as probable, via the NBA. James is dealing with a left foot injury after scoring 21 points with 13 rebounds and nine assists in Sunday’s 119-115 loss to the Houston Rockets, while Davis has a left plantar fasciitis ailment. Here’s everything we know about their playing status against the Mavericks (20-16).
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LeBron James, Anthony Davis playing status vs. Mavericks
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After being both listed as probable for the Mavericks game, James and Davis have been upgraded to available, according to Trevor Lance of Lakers Nation. The Mavericks aren’t as lucky though, since Kyrie Irving is out one-to-two weeks with a bulging disc in his back, via ESPN’s Shams Charania. That’s in addition to Luka Doncic, who’s been out since suffering a left calf strain on Christmas Day.
With James now 40 years old and Davis 31, both players are often listed on the injury report due to the wear and tear of the NBA season. However, they’re both still reliable for Los Angeles (20-15), as James is averaging 24 points per game on 50.7% shooting with 7.6 rebounds and 8.9 assists, with the latter average ranking fourth in the league. Davis checks in with 26 points on 52.3% shooting, 11.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists. His scoring and rebounding numbers rank seventh and fifth, respectively.
Meanwhile, Tuesday’s game gives the Lakers a perfect chance to separate from the Mavericks in the standings. Dallas sits in sixth place in the Western Conference, while Los Angeles is a half-game ahead in fifth. Even with the Lakers playing on the road, there’s no reason they should lose on Tuesday given the injury situation.
A win would put pressure on the Denver Nuggets (20-14), who sit in fourth place. While it’s still early, Los Angeles needs as many wins as it can get in order to ensure a favorable first-round playoff matchup.
Joshua Valdez started his journalism career as the Sports Editor for the Rutgers University newspaper before becoming an associate editor for ClutchPoints, covering the MLB, NFL, NBA, and soccer. He’s also the beat reporter for the Washington Wizards and Mystics.
