Anthony Davis' stats with LeBron James on the bench have become a major talking point this week, with the future Hall of Famer ruled out for tonight's game against the Warriors. Although there was hope that James would play despite struggling with a left ankle injury leading up to the All-Star weekend, that will not be the case.
The news makes it two straight absences for James, who has remained healthy for a large part of the season so far, missing just six games before today. The load will be on Anthony Davis to carry the team as they look to improve their standing in the Western Conference.
So far this season, Anthony Davis has only played in six games without LeBron James. Davis averages 29.3 points, 12.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists in those games.
The first game came early in the season when the Lakers matched up with the Portland Trail Blazers on November 12th. Davis recorded a 30-point, 13-rebound outing while also racking up six assists and three blocks.
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The following month, James sat out the Lakers' December 13th game with the San Antonio Spurs, where Anthony Davis' stats saw him record a 37-point, 10-rebound double-double.
Looking further at Anthony Davis' stats with LeBron James out
Picking up where we left off, LeBron James' third absence of the season came just a week after his 12/13 absence against the San Antonio Spurs. He missed the December 21st showdown with the Minnesota Timberwolves, where Anthony Davis again had a monster game.
Anthony Davis scored 31 points while hauling down eight rebounds and blocking three shots. James' next absence came in early January, when the Lakers played the Utah Jazz on Jan. 13. This time, Anthony Davis recorded a triple-double, scoring 15 points, recording 15 rebounds, and dishing out 11 assists.
The fifth absence of LeBron James came during the January 23rd 'Battle for LA' when the Lakers played the Clippers. Davis scored 26 points while hauling down 12 rebounds, with the Lakers falling to their inter-city rivals.
Last but not least, the most recent game missed by LeBron James came on February 14th. This time, Anthony Davis' stats were jaw-dropping, with the big man dropping 37 points and recording 15 rebounds.
In the six games that LeBron James has missed, the team has posted a record of 3-3. With the future Hall of Famer out for Thursday's game, it appears that the Lakers will need another monstrous game from Anthony Davis to keep them going.
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