LOS ANGELES – Anthony Davis will not play Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves due to a right calf contusion, Los Angeles Lakers’ Frank Vogel said after morning practice.
“Well, we just want to be responsible,” said Vogel in a video conference with reporters. “We want to keep an eye on him.”
Vogel said Davis took the injury on opening night against the Clippers, then aggravated it again in the third quarter of the Lakers’ Christmas Day win over the Dallas Mavericks.
Davis, 27, averaged 23 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists in the first two games of the season.
The Lakers will play back-to-back games against Minnesota, followed by a playoff rematch with the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday.
Vogel said the Lakers have no set policy on how they plan to play their two greats, Davis and LeBron James, back-to-backs this season.
“We will treat them all year round, on a case-by-case basis,” said Vogel. “And with the expectation that our boys will play both games unless there is another reason. And in this case there is another reason with Anthony’s calf. We will continue to evaluate that throughout the year.”
James is expected to play both games, Vogel added. “We want to take advantage of our depth and be smart about this injury,” he said.