NBA Player News

Davis (foot) is probable for Game 6 versus the Warriors on Friday according to Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times.

The big takeaway here is that the Lakers are no longer mentioning the head injury that Davis suffered at the end of Game 5. Davis has been carrying probable tags for weeks due to his foot, so it certainly looks like he will be a go for Game 6.

Bamba (ankle) is questionable for Friday's Game 6 versus the Warriors, Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Bamba has missed all five games of the Western Conference Semifinals due to left ankle soreness and is at risk of also missing Game 6. Though he has a chance to return, Bamba may be outside of the Lakers' condensed playoff rotation when healthy.

Embiid (knee) is in the starting lineup for Thursday's Game 6 against Boston, Keith Smith of Spotrac.com reports.

Embiid will play in his fifth consecutive game after sustaining a sprained right knee in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals and missing a pair of contests due to the injury. Since returning, Embiid has faced no limitations, playing at least 37 minutes in each of his last three appearances after being held to 27 minutes in Game 2 due to a blowout. Over that three-game stretch, Embiid averaged 32.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.6 blocks across 40.6 minutes.

Davis (head) is probable for Friday's Game 6 against the Warriors, Jovan Buha of The Athletic reports.

Davis was escorted away from Wednesday's Game 5 in a wheelchair after taking a shot to the head, but he isn't in the league's concussion protocols and will likely be available Friday. He's averaged 22.4 points, 13.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 37.0 minutes per game over the first five matchups of the series.

Williams will start Thursday's Game 6 against Philadelphia, Souichi Terada of The Springfield Republican reports.

Williams was reported to be moving into the starting lineup for Thursday's matchup, and coach Joe Mazzulla confirmed the change ahead of the game. Williams averaged 2.8 points and 1.8 rebounds in 15.2 minutes per game over the first five games of the series and should provide Boston with a boost on the defensive end as a starter Thursday.

Williams is expected to start in Thursday's Game 6 against the 76ers, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.

Williams has had an inconsistent role off the bench in the first five games of the series against Philadelphia, and he's averaged just 2.8 points and 1.8 rebounds in 15.2 minutes per game. However, he's expected to see an increased role Thursday while Derrick White comes off the bench.

Ayton (ribs) is out for Thursday's Game 6 versus the Nuggets, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.

Ayton has been downgraded from questionable to out Thursday due to a rib contusion. Jock Landale and Bismack Biyombo should see extended roles in Ayton's absence. The Suns will have to win Game 6 and force a Game 7 in order for the 24-year-old to have a chance of suiting up again this postseason.

Davis (head) is expected to be available for Friday's Game 6 versus the Warriors barring a setback, Chris Haynes of Turner Sports reports.

Despite injuring his head in Game 5, it appears that Davis has managed to avoid concussion protocols. However, the Lakers should release an official injury report later Thursday to determine the star center's status.

Vanderbilt ended with zero points (0-2 FG, 0-2 3Pt), one rebound, one block and one steal across 11 minutes during Wednesday's 121-106 loss to the Warriors in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

Vanderbilt remained in the starting lineup Wednesday but managed just 11 minutes of playing time. Outside of a highlight block, Vanderbilt was unable to have any sort of a tangible impact. At this point, he is being used sparingly, depending on the individual game situation. Despite the loss, the Lakers will now head back to Los Angeles for Game 6 with a chance to advance to the Western Conference Finals.

Davis (head) appears to have avoided a concussion Wednesday based on the early diagnosis, Chris Haynes of Turner Sports reports.

This is a huge relief for the Lakers after we learned that Davis was escorted out in a wheelchair for additional evaluation following an elbow to the head from Kevon Looney. In addition to this report from Haynes, Lakers coach Darvin Ham expressed optimism about Davis' status as well.