Anthony Davis won't play against Dallas in the opener of a road back-to-back after the Los Angeles Lakers star bruised his buttocks against the New York Knicks on Tuesday.
The team made the announcement several hours before the Lakers played at the Mavericks on Friday night.
Davis was injured on a nasty fall in a 117-87 win over the Knicks in Los Angeles on Tuesday night. An MRI exam showed no major concerns, although Davis was extremely sore.
Davis made the quick two-game trip that wraps up Saturday at Oklahoma City.
Both leading men — LA's LeBron James and 20-year-old Dallas phenom Luka Doncic — will be without their star sidekicks for the final regular-season meeting.
Mavericks forward Kristaps Porzingis has already been ruled out for the final two games of a six-game homestand because of a sore right knee. The 7-foot-3 is missing his sixth straight game and won't play against Philadelphia on Saturday either.
Dallas coach Rick Carlisle has said Porzingis might return during a two-game trip to California next week.
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Rob Pelinka Gets Promotion and Extension
According to ESPN, the Lakers have also promoted general manager Rob Pelinka to vice president of basketball operations and agreed to a new multiyear contract extension.
Pelinka originally signed a five-year deal to become the team's general manager in 2017, but in just two short years has helped the team in acquiring LeBron James and traded for Anthony Davis, among other moves.
The Lakers went from a team that haven't made the playoffs in six seasons, to the best record in the Western Conference with the duo of James and Davis.
"I’m extremely pleased with the work Rob has done in order to put this franchise in a position for success," Lakers owner Jeanie Buss said in a statement.
The announcement was made on Friday afternoon.
