LOS ANGELES — Anthony Davis will sit out Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves because of a right calf contusion, Los Angeles Lakers coach Frank Vogel said after L.A.’s morning shootaround.
“Well, we just want to be responsible with it,” Vogel said on a video conference call with reporters. “We want to keep an eye on it.”
Vogel said Davis suffered the injury on opening night against the Clippers and then re-aggravated it in the third quarter of the Lakers’ Christmas Day win over the Dallas Mavericks.
Davis, 27, is averaging 23 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists through the first two games of the season.
The Lakers play a back-to-back Sunday against Minnesota, followed by a playoff rematch with the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday. Vogel said the Lakers have no set policy on how they plan to play their big two, Davis and LeBron James, in back-to-backs this season.
“We’re going to approach each one throughout the whole year on a case-by-case basis,” Vogel said. “And with the expectation that our guys will play both games, unless there is a reason otherwise. And in this case, there is a reason otherwise with Anthony’s calf. We’ll just continue to evaluate that throughout the year.”
James is expected to play both games, Vogel said, however the decision on both Davis’ and James’ availability against Portland will be made Monday.
“We want to take advantage of our depth and be intelligent with this injury,” Vogel said of Davis.