Report: Anthony Davis targeting return for Lakers vs. Pelicans on Friday

After missing six weeks with a foot sprain, Anthony Davis looks set to return at a time when he’s sorely, sorely needed by the Lakers.

With the Lakers falling out of the play-in game and bodies falling left and right with each passing game, the Lakers appear set for some rare good news with Anthony Davis’ impending return. According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, Davis is targeting Friday’s contest against the Pelicans for his return from a foot sprain that has kept him sidelined since Feb. 16.

Davis, who has been sidelined since Feb. 16, is targeting a return by Friday at home against the No. 9 New Orleans Pelicans, sources told ESPN.

Davis’ rehab has long been trending in the positive direction, leading to him being listed as doubtful ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Mavericks. It was the first time Davis has been listed as anything other than out since his injury.

While he ultimately did not play in the game itself, he did take part in practice on Monday and head coach Frank Vogel said the final hurdle would be how his body reacted to being a participant. If all goes according to plan, Davis appears set to give the Lakers a boost on the second night of a back-to-back on Friday.

It’s a sorely-needed boost as well. With LeBron James sidelined with a sprained ankle after Sunday’s game against the Pelicans and Wenyen Gabriel listed as day-to-day with his own sprained ankle, the Lakers are not only low on bodies but low on bigs, specifically. Dwight Howard is the only other traditional big on the roster, though Stanley Johnson has played a good chunk of his minutes this season as the nominal center as well.

His return also comes at a time when the Lakers’ playoff hopes are hanging onto their very, very last strings. Tuesday’s loss to Dallas dropped them out of the play-in games and the Lakers still have a daunting schedule to close the season. Seemingly any hope of LA making the play-in game relies on the immediate return of Davis and James and both hitting the ground running.

Fortunately, at least one of those returns seems imminent by the end of the week to potentially boost the Lakers’ last gasp effort.

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