Report: Anthony Davis Expected to Return to Lakers on Friday

Lakers star Anthony Davis is expected to return to the floor Friday as Los Angeles faces the Pelicans, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania. 

Davis has not played since Feb. 14 due to a foot sprain. LeBron James is also hoping to return Friday after missing two straight games due to a left ankle injury, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. 

The return of Los Angeles’s stars comes as the Lakers look to salvage a dismal 2021–22 season. James and Co. enter Thursday sitting No. 10 in the Western Conference at 31–44, 0.5 games ahead of the Spurs for the final spot in the Western Conference play-in tournament. 

Davis has logged just 73 regular-season games across the last two seasons after winning the Finals with Los Angeles in 2019–20. He is averaging 23.1 points and 9.7 rebounds per game this season. 

James is averaging 30.1 points per game in his 19th NBA season. He is the NBA’s scoring leader in 2021–22. 

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