Skip to content

Anthony Davis out with groin strain Friday

Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

NBA fans are being robbed quite the power forward showdown Friday.

Anthony Davis will not suit up for the New Orleans Pelicans due to a left groin strain, leaving Los Angeles Clippers star Blake Griffin without a dance partner. The team is officially calling Davis' injury a grade 1 left adductor strain but did not provide a timeline for his return.

Davis originally suffered the injury on Wednesday but was able to return to the game, leaving room for optimism that the ailment wasn't a serious matter. His absence renders the Pelicans at an appreciable disadvantage against the Clippers, even at home, as New Orleans is now a five-point underdog. 

The Pelicans have been an obscene 14.6 points per-100 possessions better with Davis on the floor this season, making him a legitimate MVP candidate at the halfway point even with New Orleans only 24-22. Now in his third season, the emerging superstar is averaging 24.5 points, 10.4 rebounds, 1.6 steals and a league-high 2.9 blocks, posting the league's best player efficiency rating at 31.9.

Ryan Anderson will slide in as the starting power forward, and while he can score at a decent clip, there's little replacing what Davis brings to the table.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox