At the end of this month, 22 NBA teams will be returning to action after more than four months off due to the coronavirus pandemic shutting down the league. For most, the return to playing will be a major challenge as they attempt to get back into game shape in time for the playoffs.
But for at least one member of the Los Angeles Lakers, the extended layoff might have been a blessing in disguise. Anthony Davis spoke to reporters on Thursday and informed them that he is completely healthy for the first time all season:
There’s a conference call with @AntDavis23 right now. He said one benefit of the layoff between games has been that he is “100 percent healthy,” that he was able to rest various minor injuries he’d been dealing with. He feels great right now.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) July 2, 2020
Davis had been nursing various minor injuries all season, most significantly a shoulder issue that bothered him for months and a gluteal injury that took him out of a few games. In spite of that, Davis played in 55 of the Lakers’ 63 games before the shutdown and would have finished the season with just one fewer game played than his career high if he were to be on the court for every remaining matchup.
Davis has, of course, battled a reputation as an injury prone player primarily due to his first few seasons in the NBA but outside of several more minor issues, he has been relatively healthy for the past four years.
The Lakers started an abbreviated training camp earlier this week as the team prepares to travel to Orlando where the remainder of the season will play out.