Report: Pelicans F Anthony Davis Could Return Next Week, Finger Injury to be Re-Evaluated

Davis's injury looks less severe than initially feared.

Pelicans star forward Anthony Davis could return to the lineup next week after his finger injury was deemed less serious than initially feared, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Wednesday.

According to Wojnarowski, Davis's visit with a hand specialist gave he and the Pelicans a positive outlook on the star forward's diagnosis. Davis will be re-evaluated on Friday.

The news comes just one day after The Athletic's Shams Charania reported that Davis's diagnosis was believed to be a volar plate avulsion fracture, which could have kept him from playing anywhere from 2-4 weeks.

Davis hurt his left index finger during the fourth quarter of Friday night's 128-112 loss at Portland. He was averaging 29.3 points, 13.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game before being sidelined.

The Pelicans lost three of four to drop to 21-15 before defeating the Memphis Grizzlies 105–85 on Monday night. The team is 3.5 games behind the Utah Jazz for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

New Orleans next faces the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. ET.