Lakers’ Anthony Davis confirms his eye is fine after a recent poke from Toronto’s Jakob Poeltl, yet he remains uninterested in wearing protective goggles. Despite the injury, Davis is set to play against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday.
The standout forward, known for his impressive skills on the court, downplayed the significance of the injury, even as a noticeable discoloration was evident in his left eye post-practice at the Lakers’ training facility.
Davis expressed uncertainty about whether this incident resulted in another corneal abrasion, a condition he faced last March after a similar poke during a game against the Golden State Warriors. Remarkably, he did not miss any games then.
“Just a couple of scratches in my eye,” he stated. “I’m not entirely sure of the medical terminology, but I’ve been cleared to play.”
Every time an opponent inadvertently pokes him, the question of wearing goggles arises, reminiscent of legendary players like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Amare Stoudemire. However, before the question could finish, Davis quickly responded, “No.”
“I don’t want to, and my doctor said it’s not necessary,” he clarified. “But if it reaches a point where the doctor insists, then I’ll reconsider.”
Davis shared that he wore goggles during his youth for about three years. He even attempted to don them again during the Lakers’ championship run in the 2020 Florida bubble but abandoned the idea shortly after.
The injury occurred midway through the third quarter of the game against Toronto, where Davis executed a spectacular one-handed block against Poeltl. Unfortunately, Poeltl’s off-hand struck Davis in the face, causing him to exit the game. Nevertheless, the Lakers triumphed with a 123-103 victory.
Davis is having an exceptional start to the season, igniting discussions around MVP potential for the 31-year-old. He currently ranks second in the NBA, averaging 31.2 points per game, along with 10.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 2.0 blocks, contributing significantly to the Lakers’ 6-4 record.
