NBA teams
Dave McMenamin, ESPN Staff Writer 3y

Lakers' Anthony Davis, questionable with knee sprain, says 'no chance' he sits out Game 4

NBA, Los Angeles Lakers

LOS ANGELES -- Despite the team listing him as questionable with a left knee sprain, Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis says there is "no chance" he sits out Sunday's Game 4 with L.A. looking to take a commanding 3-1 lead in its first-round series with the Phoenix Suns.

"There's no chance that I don't play tomorrow," Davis said after practice Saturday. "As a player, I've wanted to be in this moment. You want to be in the playoffs and help contribute to my team's success. I want to be out there. So in my eyes, for me as a competitor, I think I'll be out there [Sunday]."

Davis landed awkwardly and hyperextended his left knee after executing a chase-down block on the Suns' Devin Booker in the first half of the Lakers' 109-95 Game 3 victory Thursday.

He pushed through the discomfort and stayed in the game, finishing with 34 points and 11 rebounds in 40 minutes.

The nine-year veteran said the injury did not require an MRI, but he has been experiencing swelling in the knee, and has been wearing a compression sleeve as part of his treatment.

When asked if he would wear a more substantial brace for Game 4, Davis doubted it would be necessary.

"I haven't mentioned or talked about a brace," he said. "But if that's going to help, then I don't mind going back to the 1970s brace."

Lakers coach Frank Vogel said that Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who hurt his left knee and quad area in Game 3 and was unable to finish the game, is also listed as questionable.

"Both will be listed as questionable dealing with some soreness," Vogel said. "But we're hopeful that they both play."

Davis stressed the importance of Game 4 for the Lakers, who have won the past two games after losing the first, in order to keep the momentum.

"It's going to be probably the biggest game of the series, I think, besides if Game 7 happens," he said. "We're going in, want to protect home court ... We know they're going to come out and play desperate, in a sense."

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