Davis carried off with knee injury before returning to bench in Pels' loss

Anthony Davis suffered a right leg injury after a collision with Chris Paul and was carried to the locker room by teammates Alexis Ajinca and Kendrick Perkins in the third quarter of Friday's 111-90 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

The New Orleans Pelicans' star banged knees with Paul running down the floor on defense.

The Pelicans called the injury a right knee contusion with no structural damage, and Davis returned to the bench late in the fourth quarter.

When Davis came back with approximately five minutes left in the game, the Pelicans were down by 20 points, and there was little reason to risk re-inserting him.

Both Davis and head coach Alvin Gentry declined to comment on the play afterward. There was some initial rancor about whether Paul, trying to draw a foul, put Davis at risk of injury. The point guard denied the notion postgame.

Davis has already missed three games this season with shoulder and hip maladies. New Orleans won three straight coming into L.A. after starting the season 1-11. Davis is averaging 23.5 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per contest.