Lakers’ Anthony Davis Ruled Out of Game 4 vs. Suns with Groin Injury

AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

The Los Angeles Lakers will be without Anthony Davis for at least the remainder of Sunday’s Game 4 against the Phoenix Suns.

The big man was ruled out because of a left groin strain. Davis suffered the injury in the first half and did not come out with the team to start the second half.

Davis was questionable coming into the game because of a knee injury but started and tallied six points, four rebounds, three assists, one block and one steal before suffering the injury.

The one thing that held the defending champion Lakers back for much of the regular season was injuries, as LeBron James (ankle) and Davis (calf and Achilles) both missed significant time. The result was an up-and-down year that saw them relegated to the play-in tournament prior to the postseason.

When Davis and James are healthy, Los Angeles is on the short list of realistic title contenders once again.

Davis is an eight-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA selection and four-time All-Defensive selection who averaged 21.8 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.6 blocks and 1.3 steals per game this season.

Even with LeBron, it is difficult to envision the Lakers winning the championship if Davis is sidelined for an extended period of time in the playoffs.

In the meantime, they will need to rely even more on Andre Drummond and Marc Gasol in the frontcourt.