During the third quarter of the game against the Toronto Raptors on Sunday night, Anthony Davis had to leave the court after suffering a facial injury while attempting to block a Jakob Poeltl dunk.
Davis performed a one-handed block, but in the process Poeltl inadvertently hit him in the face and eyes with his other hand. Following the incident, the Lakers announced that Davis would not return to the game due to a left eye injury, which is especially concerning given that he suffered a corneal abrasion in the same eye just last season.
The injury occurred in front of a passionate home crowd and Davis was seen on the floor visibly in pain, holding his face and rocking back and forth. After a short time on the ground, he managed to get up and headed to the locker room.
Prior to his release, Davis had an impressive game, contributing 22 points, four rebounds and two blocks. His strong performance had already sparked discussions about his candidacy for the MVP award earlier in the season. He entered the game leading the league in averaging 32.4 points per game, along with 11.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists, and has recorded six games with 30 or more points this season.
In Davis’ absence, Jaxson Hayes entered the rotation and made an immediate impact, scoring three dunks and a layup to help the Lakers continue their momentum.
Davis had also missed a game the previous Wednesday against Memphis due to a left heel contusion. Despite dealing with a number of injuries throughout his career, he managed to play a record 76 games last season, raising hopes for his longevity this year.