The Los Angeles Lakers faced off against the Cleveland Cavaliers, featuring one of the strangest exits of a game in recent memory from Lakers star Anthony Davis.
Davis started the game for the Lakers but abruptly left in the first quarter after being fouled on a rebound attempt by Cavs forward Kevin Love.
Anthony Davis headed back to the locker room after this play 🙏🏽pic.twitter.com/IRXDfumLAb
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) December 7, 2022
After the play, Davis quickly offered some handshakes to his teammates and went back into the locker room.
Looking at the play, it didn’t exactly look like anything serious occurred that would cause Davis to leave the game, leading to questions as to why he ended up leaving the game.
Trying to get word on Anthony Davis, who went back to the locker room
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) December 7, 2022
We're still awaiting an update on Anthony Davis, who went to the locker room late in the 1st Q, and has yet to return to the bench.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) December 7, 2022
A report on Davis emerged midway through the second quarter from NBA insider Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, stating that Davis will not return to the game due to flu-like symptoms.
Lakers' Anthony Davis is out for remainder of game vs. Cavaliers due to flu-like symptoms.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 7, 2022
It’s certainly a strange turn of events for Davis, leading even more questions from the NBA world following this diagnosis from Charania.
Several members of the Lakers' traveling party are wearing masks tonight, more than any team I've noticed this season https://t.co/c3okbzC73C
— Joe Vardon (@joevardon) December 7, 2022
"flu-like symptoms" is a weird way to spell "I'm scared of Jarrett Allen" https://t.co/WDLqogenV9
— Mikey McNuggets (@MikeLucasTV) December 7, 2022
Anthony Davis when Jarrett Allen started going off pic.twitter.com/Vkpl6zp3xe
— Kenny Ducey (@KennyDucey) December 7, 2022
Hopefully, the flu-like conditions are just the flu for Anthony Davis and not RSV.
From what I've read it's not a fun time.
— Evan Dammarell (@AmNotEvan) December 7, 2022
When Anthony Davis sees a locker room he hasn’t visited mid game in a while pic.twitter.com/yY3VJiEC7o
— BetOnline.ag (@betonline_ag) December 7, 2022
It’s typically revealed well before the game if someone like Davis was dealing with flu-like symptoms. He came into the game with a back injury, but nothing was noted of his reported illness.
Anthony Davis (back) will start Tuesday.
— Underdog NBA (@Underdog__NBA) December 6, 2022
This couldn’t have come at a worse time for the eight-time All-Star; he’s been playing potentially the best stretch of basketball in his 11-year career as of late.
Davis has scored a whopping 99 points in his last two games after an unbelievable 55-point performance on Sunday against the Washington Wizards.
Anthony Davis has scored 99 POINTS in his last two games combined. 😤
Is bubble AD back? 👀 pic.twitter.com/r6PCaHv7YF
— theScore Bet (@theScoreBet) December 7, 2022
The Lakers will hope that this illness for Anthony Davis isn’t a long-term issue, but may NBA fans are still certainly very surprised by the timing of his exit on Tuesday night.