LA Lakers star Anthony Davis has refused to blame a hip injury for his underwhelming performance during Wednesday’s 125-110 defeat to Sacramento Kings.
Despite mounting a late comeback, the Lakers suffered their first defeat in three games and their first home loss of the season, with Darvin Ham’s side currently eighth in the Western Conference standings.
“I just played bad,” Davis said, according to ESPN after the match.
Concerns had mounted over his fitness ahead of the Lakers clash with the Kings, with some reports claiming he had suffered an adductor injury.
During the game, Davis conceded five turnovers, with his side giving the ball away 23 times.
Speaking on his performance, he added: “I’m not going to put it on anything… It was just missed shots. I just played like s*** tonight. It’s that simple.”
Davis has struggled with injuries at the beginning of the season, having suffered spasms in his left hip, according to ESPN, which saw him leave the court during the Lakers’ narrow 108-107 defeat by Miami Heat on November 7.
The Lakers have endured a fixture glut of late, playing six games in 10 days, including back-to-back matches against the Grizzlies and the Kings this week.
On Wednesday, the power forward appeared to be limited in his movements by the injury, coming off the court in the second and third quarters.
“I’m still treating it every day,” Davis said, speaking on the injury. “Obviously, you don’t get that day to really attack it with the back-to-back. But it is what it is.
“I suit up, I will play. I’ve got to be more effective. Obviously, it was still bothering me a little bit, but I’ve still got to go out there and do my job.”
But Davis told reporters that he would be “fine” to play in his side’s upcoming match against the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday.
The 38-year-old also became the second-oldest player in the history of the league to shoot a triple-double, but the four-time NBA champion couldn’t lead his side to victory.
Domantas Sabonis was the star of the show, recording 29 points and 16 rebounds, with Kevin Huerter, De’Aaron Fox and Harrison Barnes also making double figures.
The home side took a 24-point lead into the final quarter but the Lakers hit back scoring 30 points in the last quarter – but it was too little, too late, with the Kings holding out to secure their fourth consecutive victory of the season.
After the match, James gave his verdict on the current fixture jam, claiming: “We have too many games that’s coming up on top of us very soon and they’re going to be flying.
“This is three in four nights. We play Friday. We play Sunday. We got a lot of games coming. You learn from some of the mistakes.
“You learn from some of the good things. But then you move on.”
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