Anthony Davis has been out of action since suffering a calf strain on February 14.
The Los Angeles Lakers were then dealt a second blow when the team’s lone other star, LeBron James, suffered a high ankle sprain that would sideline him for six weeks.
Since then the defending champs have tried their best to tread water, ultimately falling to fifth place in the Western Conference with a 31-19 record.
LA has gone 4-6 over the last 10 games.
Fortunately, it appears as though Davis may finally be gearing up for a return.
According to Marc Stein of the New York Times, “there is some hope within the organization” their star big man will return to the lineup after the squad’s five-outing road trip against Eastern Conference foes.
This past week, Lakers head coach Frank Vogel came out and confirmed that Davis was progressing on schedule.
“No setback, it’s just being cautious,” he said, according to the OC Register. “Making sure the build-up is happening at the right pace and this thing is fully behind him.”
On Monday, Lakers swingman Kentavious Caldwell-Pope similarly suggested that Davis wasn’t far away from returning.
Random practice for the Lakers. KCP talking with AD shooting around in the background and KCP said: “We were just joking with him that he should play 5 mins tmw” vs. Raptors. pic.twitter.com/VcZOVCZFYu
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) April 5, 2021
“He’s making great progress,” he said.
LaMelo continuing to make a strong case for Rookie of the Year. https://t.co/hThv2JqlgN
— Game 7 (@game7__) April 4, 2021
“We were just joking a little bit that he could give us like five minutes tomorrow. But we don’t know nothing about his timetable, or when he’s coming back. He didn’t participate in the practice today, but he did shoot a little bit, and he says he’s feeling good. So we’re just waiting on him and whenever he’s ready.”
Considering the bad news the Lakers just got regarding both Andre Drummond’s recovery time and James’ recovery time, this Davis news is a breath of fresh air.
Will he ultimately return with the sort of tenacity he had during last year’s march to a title? Time will tell.
Related: Is Paul Pierce To Barstool Sports A Done Deal?
Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
