Anthony Davis is out for Warriors vs. Lakers

The Golden State Warriors are getting their first (regular season) glance at the new-look Los Angeles Lakers tonight, but they won’t see the one player who makes LA truly “new-look.”

Anthony Davis, whom the Lakers acquired from the New Orleans Pelicans, will not play tonight, due to rib and shoulder soreness.

There’s no telling how sore Davis is, but this is quite possibly a form of load management. Los Angeles played last night, and the 8-2 Lakers should (key word: should) be able to put away the 2-9 Warriors without Davis, especially since they’re at home. It helps that they have another star who will be playing. Perhaps you’ve heard of him.

Davis has been his usual phenomenal self in Tinseltown, averaging 26.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.9 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game, while anchoring the league’s second-best defense, per Cleaning The Glass.

The Warriors saw Davis in the preseason, when the two teams matched up a shocking four times, but they’ll have to wait until February 8 when they host the Lakers to see the revamped purple and gold.

Golden State - down Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and a sizable handful of role players - is unlikely to have any sympathy for Los Angeles missing one of their stars.