Anthony Davis returned from injury last night against the Dallas Mavericks. In just 17 limited minutes, Davis put up a small line of 4pts, 4reb, and an assist. The usual backup lineup played most of the game, with LeBron James still waiting to return from his own injury. Davis will work to play more minutes in the games to come while remaining healthy for the postseason.
AD discussed his injury and his way back to the court.
An MRI revealed a Grade 2 lateral sprain on Atlanta All-Star guard Trae Young’s left ankle, source tells ESPN. He’s expected to be able to return to play once swelling and discomfort are gone. Best possible news after Wednesday night’s injury at MSG.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 22, 2021
While it was clear that Davis had not played since Valentine’s Day, his movement was promising. On defense, he came up with a block on Kristaps Prozingis and then forced Luka Doncic into an airball. His footwork and movement on defense look to still be there. However, it wasn’t enough to push the Lakers to a win. Dallas won 115-110.
While LA would rather be a top-2 or 3 seed in the West, the fact they have held onto the middle of the pack at 5th is impressive. The Nuggets are 3.5 games ahead and the Trail Blazers and Mavericks are 2.5 games behind. The Lakers have started to solidify themselves in that position and should stay there barring any wild win streaks or losing streaks.
This season Davis has averaged 21.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game. The Lakers will need him moving forward if they hope to make another run at an NBA title. Backup and role players have been getting a lot of great playing time during these injuries, so hopefully, that is something that will translate into the 2021 NBA Playoffs.
The Lakers will play the Dallas Mavericks again on Saturday at 8:30 PM EST.
