Without AD, the Lakers struggled to find their rhythm.
The Lakers’ four-game winning streak came to an abrupt halt Tuesday night as they fell 118-104 to the Philadelphia 76ers. But the real gut punch? Anthony Davis left the game early in the first quarter with an abdominal muscle strain and never returned.
Without AD, the Lakers struggled to find their rhythm. Dorian Finney-Smith stepped in for Davis to start the second half, but it was clear L.A. missed their star big man. Despite a strong push in the third quarter—cutting the Sixers’ lead to just 12—back-to-back turnovers by LeBron James led to two quick Philly three-pointers, putting the game out of reach.
“We actually found something good in the second half,” head coach JJ Redick said. “And then we just didn’t execute. Those two turnovers were just fatigue.”
Maxey Torches Lakers as Philly Rolls Without Embiid
Even without MVP Joel Embiid (knee) and Paul George (hand), the Sixers didn’t miss a beat. Tyrese Maxey put on a show, lighting up the Lakers for 43 points on 15-of-26 shooting. The Lakers simply had no answer for him.
Before the game, Redick raved about Davis’ recent dominance—AD was averaging 32.8 points, 15 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks during the Lakers’ four-game win streak. But on Tuesday, he barely had a chance to make an impact, finishing with just four points, two rebounds, and a steal before heading to the locker room.
LeBron kept it brief when asked about Davis’ status moving forward: “I think he’ll be fine.” Lakers fans will have to hope that’s true as the team continues its grueling five-game road trip.
What’s Next?
The Lakers head to Washington on Thursday, then face the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Saturday before returning to L.A. for a battle against the Clippers at the Intuit Dome next Tuesday.
Can the Purple & Gold bounce back? And more importantly—will AD be ready to suit up? Stay tuned Lakers fans.

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