Lakers’ Anthony Davis exits Portland game early with stomach illness

PORTLAND — As Anthony Davis warmed up connected Saturday night, helium wasn’t wearing a wrap, a sleeve oregon immoderate benignant of protective measurement connected his close thumb. The sprain helium suffered Thursday nighttime was drifting into distant memory.

But aft conscionable 7:09 of gameplay against the Portland Trail Blazers, Davis was headed to the locker room. And an wholly caller contented acceptable upon the Lakers.

Davis missed the remainder of the crippled with a tummy illness, according to the Lakers. He finished conscionable 1 for 5 with 2 points and 3 rebounds. Dwight Howard and DeAndre Jordan helped capable retired the Lakers’ minutes successful the beforehand court.

It was a crushing nonaccomplishment for the Lakers, who are already successful the midst of a agelong without LeBron James (abdominal strain). Earlier successful the evening, Davis had decided to play aft spraining his thumb against Oklahoma City — contempt saying 2 days earlier that helium couldn’t determination it overmuch successful the 2nd fractional of the game.

His tendency to play done pain, manager Frank Vogel said, has been spurred by his frustrations implicit his wellness during the 2020-21 play erstwhile helium missed 36 of 72 regular play games. Davis was besides wounded for the last 2 games of the playoffs.

“I cognize this twelvemonth he’s precise upset with however past twelvemonth went and however overmuch clip helium missed,” Vogel said. “So, everything that’s 50-50 whether to beryllium successful oregon retired frankincense acold this year, it’s been, ‘I’m playing unless I perfectly can’t play.’”

The squad confirmed that Davis’ unwellness is not related to COVID-19. As of aboriginal Saturday evening, it was unclear if the unwellness mightiness impact Davis’ availability for Monday’s location crippled against the Charlotte Hornets.

Entering the evening, Davis was averaging 25.4 points, 11.9 rebounds and 2.3 blocks portion shooting 50.8% from the field.

The Lakers look a larger interest astir James’ availability. The 36-year-old is expected to miss “at least” a week with his ab strain, and the Lakers person struggled without him. But adjacent so, Vogel said, he’s worked successful the team’s movie sessions and doled retired proposal from the bench.

“He’s ever our astir vocal subordinate leader, though we person a radical that truly participates successful our movie sessions,” Vogel said. “Bron, adjacent erstwhile he’s out, is communicating what definite coverages should look similar and what definite violative principles we request to execute, for sure.”

Portland begins probe of wide manager

All was not good for the Trail Blazers connected Saturday, erstwhile it was officially announced that the franchise had enlisted extracurricular steadfast O’Melveny and Myers to analyse workplace misconduct allegations against wide manager Neil Olshey, who has been with the franchise since 2012. He antecedently was wide manager for the Clippers.

Portland caput manager Chauncey Billups said helium was caught off-guard by the news, arsenic were others successful the organization. So far, the Blazers person not disclosed what sparked the investigation, though respective media outlets person reported that Olshey’s fiery temper had bristled radical astir the organization.