On Saturday night, the Los Angeles Lakers’ superstar forward Anthony Davis missed the showpiece game against the Golden State Warriors, which was the team’s third meeting this season.

During a drive to the basket in the first quarter, Davis was accidentally poked in the eye by Warriors player Trayce Jackson-Davis. Davis finished with eight points, four rebounds, and two assists in 12 minutes before leaving the game.

According to Jovan Buha, he received an eye contusion and will not return to the game.

This season, Davis has demonstrated durability in terms of availability, making the most appearances since playing 62 games in 2019-20.

However, AD missed two games in late January, one against the Atlanta Hawks on Jan. 30 and the other against the Boston Celtics on Feb. 1, due to hip and Achilles issues.

How will the Los Angeles Lakers fare in the wake of Anthony Davis’ injuries?Since November, the 31-year-old has been dealing with hip issues, posing a concern for the Lakers as they try to climb the Western Conference standings and make the playoffs.

Despite a difficult season, the Purple and Gold find themselves in a vulnerable position, sitting eighth in the Western Conference with a 36-31 win-loss record.

Despite the team’s collective troubles, Davis has been a consistent player, posting excellent stats this season. In 63 games, he’s averaging 24.7 points, 12.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 2.4 blocks per game, with a shooting efficiency of 55.2 percent from the field and 26.3% from beyond the arc.

Anthony Davis’ and LeBron James’ health are critical to the Lakers’ postseason hopes. Nonetheless, the team’s prospects this season are also dependent on the performances of other major contributors such as D’Angelo Russell and Spencer Dinwiddie as they compete with formidable opponents such as the Minnesota Timberwolves and the defending NBA champions, the Denver Nuggets.