Lakers without Davis for Timberwolves clash

Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis will sit out Sunday's NBA showdown with the Minnesota Timberwolves due to a right calf contusion.

Lakers head coach Frank Vogel said Davis suffered the injury in the opening-night loss to city rivals the Los Angeles Clippers before re-aggravating the problem in the Christmas Day triumph over the Dallas Mavericks.

"Well, we just want to be responsible with it," Vogel told reporters after the Lakers' morning shootaround on Sunday. "We want to keep an eye on it."

Davis has been averaging 23.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists through the first two games of the season for defending champions the Lakers (1-1).

"We want to take advantage of our depth and be intelligent with this injury," Vogel said of Davis.

Sunday Shootaround pic.twitter.com/b9LYOVU9fo

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) December 27, 2020

Following a brief offseason after the Lakers clinched their first title in 10 years in October, Vogel said the team have no set policy regarding Davis and LeBron James in back-to-back games this term.

"We're going to approach each one throughout the whole year on a case-by-case basis," Vogel said. "And with the expectation that our guys will play both games, unless there is a reason otherwise.

"In this case, there is a reason otherwise with Anthony's calf. We'll just continue to evaluate that throughout the year."

Lakers superstar James is averaging 22.0 points, 7.5 assists and 6.0 rebounds per game.