After being out for two months, Xavier Henry had his best performance since his return. In the 125-109 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night, Henry finished with 24 points and four rebounds while keeping the Lakers afloat in the first half.
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Unfortunately, Henry struggled with his shot in the second half and the Lakers couldn’t contain the Spurs. After the game, head coach Mike D’Antoni suggested that the fourth-year guard’s injury is still bothering him according to Lakers Nation reporter Serena Winters:
D’Antoni suggested Xavier Henry’s injury is still bothering him: "Xavier is battling through a lot of stuff. He could call it quits."
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) March 20, 2014
While Henry could sit out the rest of the season, D’Antoni hopes that he can manage the pain and play the rest of the season:
More D’Antoni on Xavier Henry: "Hopefully he can manage his pain and play the rest of the season."
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) March 20, 2014
After suffering a bone bruise in his right knee on Dec. 29 against the Philadelphia 76ers, Henry encountered numerous setbacks and many thought he would eventually be ruled out for the season. While he is still dealing with pain, Henry is likely playing because one, the Lakers’ backcourt is depleted and two, he has the chance to earn a new contract.
While the Lakers were eliminated from the playoffs on Friday, there is still a lot at stake for players like Henry who were signed to one-year contracts. Although Henry is having the best season of his career, the final 15 games of the season gives him the opportunity to further improve his value.
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Lakers vs. Spurs: Xavier Henry Plans To Push Through The Pain