Los Angeles Lakers All-Star Anthony Davis revealed he feared the worst when he “heard something pop” as the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Jaden McDaniels fell into his left knee on Friday.
Davis limped out of Friday’s 110-92 defeat to the Timberwolves after sustaining the knee injury which has since been confirmed as an MCL sprain sidelining him for four weeks.
The Lakers power forward collapsed on his way down the tunnel and said he feared the worst at the time.
“I just reached a point where it was tough to walk,” Davis told reporters on Sunday. “I had to take a break.
“I did hear something pop – and the first thing I thought of was [a major injury], which I was emotional, I was just like everywhere. But thank God that it wasn’t that.”
Davis has played 27 games this season, averaging 23.3 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.0 blocked shots per game.
The eight-time All-Star missed 36 games through injury last season and said he had a positive outlook about his latest setback.
“Mentally I’m fine. I’m in a good space,” Davis said. “Last year was a more ‘me’ thing. This year was like a freakish play. So knowing that nothing I really could have done to avoid it, I guess, keeps me in a good place.
“The locker room keeps me in a good place. People around me outside of basketball keep me in a good place. Great conversation with my wife about it; she’s the one who keeps me in a good place, for real.”
The Lakers slipped to a 16-15 record with Sunday’s 115-110 defeat to the Chicago Bulls without Davis.
“We’re still in a good spot, for a team who feel like they can, could have done more, or win more games, games we should have won, and we’re still in a good spot,” he said.
“So hopefully we can stay afloat with all the stuff going on around the team and being able to still pursue our goal, which is to win a championship.”