Lakers star expected to play in Game Six after head shot

Lakers coach Darvin Ham said he excepts Anthony Davis to play Saturday in Los Angeles, adding that the eight-time All-Star big man is “not showing any signs of anything” and is not in the NBA’s concussion protocol after being hit in the head late in game five of the Western Conference semifinals.

Davis is “doing great”, Ham said, and is probable for game six against the Golden State Warriors.

Davis was hurt by what appeared to be an inadvertent shot to the head from Golden State’s Kevon Looney midway through the fourth quarter of the Warriors’ 121-106 victory in San Francisco.

Davis grabbed at his head grimacing on the bench before going to the locker room following the play with 7:43 remaining. He and Looney were battling for position in the paint on a driving layup by the Lakers’ D’Angelo Russell.

TNT reported Davis required a wheelchair to go to the locker room, but he walked out of Chase Center on his own.

The Lakers lead the best-of-seven series 3-2.

Davis finished with 23 points on 10-for-18 shooting, nine rebounds and three assists, but didn’t block a shot.

After the game, teammate Austin Reaves said Los Angeles would be ready with or without Davis.

“Obviously, AD is huge to what we do. I believe he’ll play, but if that’s not the case, we’re still a group of NBA basketball players that have played games without him this year,” Reaves said. “You never want to play a big game without a guy like that. But that’s the nature of the game.”

Stephen Curry and the Warriors fully expected to see AD in game six as they left game five.

“I have no idea what happened to him or what his situation is,” Curry said, “but I would say yeah.”

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission