Despite ankle injury, Lakers' Anthony Davis ready to play in fifth game of Western Conference Finals
Despite his ankle twist from last Thursday, Los Angeles Lakers star center Anthony Davis is ready to play against the Denver Nuggets in the fifth game of the Western Conference Finals, his coach, Frank Vogel, said on Friday.
Both Davis and LeBron James, who received a thigh hit, "will continue to receive treatment. They have experienced some pain but they are ready" for Saturday's game, Vogel said at a press conference at the NBA season finale headquarters in Disney World (Orlando).
In a bad fall after a shot, Davis suffered a twist in his left ankle that caused great concern on the Los Angeles bench with six minutes and 44 seconds left in the fourth game on Thursday.
The center seemed to feel the injury in the following minutes but stayed on the court and finished the game with 34 points that were crucial for the Lakers' victory, putting them 3-1 ahead in the series and giving them the chance to secure their spot in the NBA Finals in the fifth game on Saturday.
Davis is averaging 32.3 points and 6.5 rebounds in this series against the Nuggets, who are forced to win the next three games to qualify.
The other conference final, in the East, resumes on Friday with the fifth game between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat, who also lead the series 3-1. (D)