By Janie McCauley
AP Sports Writer
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Lakers center Anthony Davis injured his head on what appeared to be an unintentional hit by Golden State’s Kevon Looney midway through the fourth quarter of the Warriors’ 121-106 Game 5 win. of the Western Conference semifinals on Wednesday night.
Davis clutched his head grimacing on the bench before heading to the locker room following the play with 7:43 remaining. He and Looney were fighting for position in the paint on a driving layup by the Lakers’ D’Angelo Russell.
Davis’ status for Game 6 on Friday night in Los Angeles is unclear, but coach Darivn Ham perked up afterward without providing details about what evaluation, such as concussion tests, the big man passed once in the locker room. . TNT reported that Davis required a wheelchair to get to the locker room.
Another good sign was Davis Leaving the Chase Center on your own.
“Obviously everyone saw that he was shot in the head, but we just checked it out, he looks like he’s doing really well already,” Ham said. “That’s where he is. That is the state at the moment.”
The Lakers lead the best-of-seven series 3-2.
Davis finished with 23 points on 10-of-18 shooting, nine rebounds and three assists, but didn’t block a shot.
His teammate Austin Reaves reported that Davis was “better” as a positive sign, but that Los Angeles would be done with or without him.
“Obviously AD is huge for what we do. I think he will play, but if that’s not the case, we’re still a bunch of NBA basketball players that have played games without him this year,” Reaves said. “You never want to play a great game without a guy like that. But that’s the nature of the game.”
Stephen Curry and the Warriors expect to see AD on Friday night.
“I have no idea what happened to him or what his situation is,” Curry said, “but I would say yes.”
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AP freelance writer Ben Ross contributed to this report.
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