Did Frank Vogel make the wrong call by starting Anthony Davis against Phoenix Suns in Game 6? | 2021 NBA Playoffs

LA Lakers star Anthony Davis has been prone to injuries all season long, and the 2021 NBA Playoffs were no different for him.

The former New Orleans Pelicans player suffered back-to-back injuries in the ongoing first-round NBA Playoffs series between the LA Lakers and the Phoenix Suns.

The first was a left knee injury during Game 3, which did not seem to bother him much at the time. He proceeded to play one whole quarter after sustaining the injury.

However, that wasn’t the case when he picked up a groin injury in Game 4. Davis left the floor in the second quarter of the match and was ruled out for the rest of the tie. As a result, the LA Lakers lost the tie, with AD missing the entire second half.

Anthony Davis was listed as questionable for Game 5. However, he couldn't make much movement during warm-ups and was subsequently sidelined. The Lakers ended up losing by a margin of 30 points (85-115) as they lost the battle inside the paint in his absence.

Why Frank Vogel's decision to include Anthony Davis in the starting lineup in Game 6 wasn't in the best interests of the player or the team

Anthony Davis (left) and Frank Vogel (right)

With the LA Lakers struggling in the absence of Anthony Davis, Frank Vogel made a bold decision to start the 28-year-old in the do-or-die Game 6 matchup on Thursday. He was listed as questionable before the game, and his inclusion was a game-time decision.

Anthony Davis struggled from the get-go and lacked mobility. The Lakers were down 7-14 in the first quarter when AD decided to leave the floor as he seemed to struggle with some pain caused by his movements. It was evident that he was rushed into the lineup, which could have made his injury worse than it already was.

AD went back to the locker room after going down. pic.twitter.com/Z3POnG4Qws

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 4, 2021

Anthony Davis made the right call by not continuing and making sure the injury didn't get any worse. However, groin injuries aren't easy to recover from.

Anthony Davis' night is officially over, per the Lakers. AD did not do anything in the first quarter to make his left groin strain more severe than it already wasy, sources tell ESPN. It was the "same feeling" as it was going into the game, sources said. He just wasn't right.

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) June 4, 2021

If the LA Lakers were to advance in the playoffs, they could face the possibility of playing without Anthony Davis for a significant period of time. As expressed by many critics and analysts, Frank Vogel should ideally have started without AD.

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