Damion Lee empathizes with injured Anthony Davis before Suns host Lakers
Suns guard Damion Lee wants their opponents' best players on the floor during games for two reasons. One, he wants both teams at full strength to compete at the highest level. Two, he understands how hard the uphill mental and physical battle is to be sidelined from injuries like Lakers All-Star big Anthony Davis, who was listed on Sunday that he'll be out for a least a month from a foot injury.
The Lakers' Davis, LeBron James (ankle), and Devin Booker (groin) won't play on Monday during their matchup in Phoenix.
Lee, the NBA's current second-best in 3-point percentage (47.8%), spoke during Monday's pregame media availability about Davis, Booker's 58-point performance in the Suns' comeback win over New Orleans on Sunday, and Suns coach Monty Williams canceling their Sunday practice on before their back-to-back home games against the Lakers and Washington as well as Friday hosting Memphis and on Christmas at Denver.
On Anthony Davis being sidelined for Suns-Lakers game on Monday and out indefinitely from foot injury:
“Yeah, I mean it’s tough. From going through injuries before, like from a personal standpoint, it sucks. I definitely can (relate) on the fact of coming back, going through an injury. But it’s just tough, man. Whenever you see guys around the league, you want to always play guys at 100 percent and you want your guys to be at 100 percent. So it’s tough for him. He’s been huge. He’s been having a hell of a last month once they really adjusted their lineups, playing him more at the five, getting him to his spots, so it’s tough. But he’s a pro. He’ll come back healthy and when he does the Lakers are still gonna be the Lakers."
On Devin Booker’s 58 points vs. New Orleans Pelicans: “He’s special. … You can just tell when guys are really good at what they do, and he’s one of those guys. He understands the game at a high level, plays it at a high level, been doing that for I’d say about a decade now before going into college and what he’s been doing in the NBA. He just knows what it takes to score with the best of them. It’s great to be on his side. Obviously, when he has night’s like that, just find the ways to get him going. I think at one point he had 25 straight (points)? How many guys in the history of the league who’ve had 25 straight in a quarter? I actually challenge y’all to figure out what that list is and let me know because I know about four or five guys.
What the NBA's COVID testing protocols entail for players and team personnel: "We have testing between 7 a.m. to 8 am., and then waiting 30 minutes to get into the facility if you got a negative test. Going into practice and doing all that stuff, coming back at night at 6 o’clock, testing again. Testing window between 5 to 7 (p.m.) making sure that those tests was negative going into the next day. Test before our flights, test on game days if y’all can roll, it’s a lot. Obviously, I understand. I’m aware of this all comes with the business, it comes with the job at the end of the day. It’s entertainment, so you want your product out there on the court, and we want to be as best as we can be, as healthy as we can be, as confident and comfortable so we can be out there playing. Definitely hats off to the league for figuring it out, whether it was the bubble, whether it was with mass testing, whatever it is because that leads to where we’re at now."
Why Lee appreciates Williams canceling their Sunday practice"
"It’s cool because it keeps the human element involved, which I think the biggest part of it all. I feel like we get judged a lot off makes, misses, wins, losses. But as a coaching staff and players, there’s a human element that just gets lost in almost all of it. We are people at the end of the day, so I think Coach having that awareness is pretty dope of canceling practice. Letting guys get a day, the holidays are coming up, we leave Christmas Eve (to play at Denver on Christmas). So we can’t complain because, one, no one’s really gonna listen, but then two, we’re afforded this amazing lifestyle to be able to travel. A lot of things we do get taken care of, but sort of getting back to the basics of spending an hour with your family, spending two hours spreading out the day. It’s the holiday season, Christmas shopping, things that we’re not afforded to spend time at home because the schedule means we’re on the road this year (for Christmas). It’s dope that Coach was about to do that and lock it in. We got, what, four games in seven days (against the Lakers, Washington, and Memphis at home, then at Denver)? Monty’s saying that gauntlet is coming up, too.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Damion Lee empathizes with injured Anthony Davis before Suns host Lakers
