Pelicans’ Anthony Davis To Miss NBA Season Opener After Suffering Ankle Injury

The New Orleans Pelicans will have to open up the season without their superstar, as Anthony Davis will not be ready to play on opening night. The Pelicans say that Davis will be out for 10 to 14 days after suffering a right ankle sprain last Thursday.

The last time fans saw Anthony Davis on the court he was lying flat on his back, clutching his right ankle as he was wincing in pain. Davis sprained his ankle while playing a preseason game in Beijing against the Houston Rockets. Last season, the All-Star center had to deal with knee and shoulder problems which caused him to miss 21 games.

According to a report by The Times Picayune, the three-time All-Star says that his ankle is responding well to treatment and is rehabbing every day so he can get back on the floor as soon as possible

Davis talks about his rehab, preparing for the season VIDEO: https://t.co/bUN7rJRPp7 #Pelicans pic.twitter.com/d73FzUO1M1

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) October 14, 2016

From the looks of things, it seems like Davis may have to face another injury issue as he begins the 2016-2017 season. Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry says that it is “very frustrating” because the team can never seem to find a rhythm because there are always people who are injured.

Injuries have been the bane of Anthony Davis’s career, as he has never been able to play in more than 68 games in a season for the Pelicans, and has missed an average of 17 games in each of his first four seasons in the league. He had to undergo surgery last March to fix an issue with his knee.

Davis’s ankle was evaluated last Thursday when the team returned home from China.

New Orleans used at least 42 different starting lineups in 82 games last season, with only one of those lineups lasting for more than six games. The NBA season is set to start in less than two weeks and injuries have again become a major concern for the Pelicans.

The 23-year-old Davis has proven that he is among the league’s best big men when healthy, as evidenced by his career averages of 20.8 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks during his first four seasons in the NBA. The only thing that could prevent him from reaching his true potential are injuries.

While the latest injury that Davis suffered is a minor one, it continues a rather disturbing trend in his young career.

Hearing the words “Anthony Davis injured, again” is enough to send chills down the spines of Pelicans fans and make them sigh in disbelief as the player touted to help resurrect their franchise continues to battle the injury bug.

Davis is known for two things: a player who has the skills to become one of the league’s top superstars and a body that is hindering him from doing it consistently.

He is one of the most complete players in the league with a skill set that would make most players in his position turn green with envy. He can be a nightmare to guard against in the post and has defensive skills that provide the Pelicans with an intimidating presence in the paint. Last season, he added to his repertoire by shooting three pointers, attempting two per game, and connecting at an adequate 32.4 percent, which is quite impressive for a player who had shot an abysmal 15 percent from beyond the arc during his time at the University of Kentucky.

The Pelicans are expecting a whole lot from Davis this season because last season was a complete mess for the team. Head coach Alvin Gentry was welcomed to the team with open arms because fans believed that they had finally found a coach who could bring out the potential of a young team and turn them into a legitimate contender in the Western Conference.

Their season was sabotaged early on because of injuries, and there were times when the team simply didn’t look right even when they were healthy. Fans hope that this year will be completely different for them as long as Davis does not suffer any serious injuries.

New Orleans will have their season opener against the Denver Nuggets on October 26.

[Featured Image by Brandon Dill/AP Images]