Lakers News: Carmelo Anthony Expected to Return from Hamstring Injury vs. Clippers

The Los Angeles Lakers need all the help they can get to improve their postseason standing in the latter half of the season, and they received some good news in that regard Thursday.

Lakers head coach Frank Vogel told reporters that forward Carmelo Anthony is expected to return from his hamstring injury in Friday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers. Anthony hasn't played since Feb. 3.

In his first season in Los Angeles, Anthony has settled nicely into a bench role. He ranks fourth on the team with 13.4 points per game and he's connecting on 39.2 percent of his three-pointers. But this season hasn't gone how anyone expected for the Lakers.

Los Angeles is ninth in the Western Conference with a record of 27-31 and has struggled to find consistency throughout the year. With 24 games left on the schedule, the team needs to make a run to avoid the play-in tournament. It would be a far cry from a team that had expectations of competing for an NBA title, thanks in part to offseason acquisitions like Anthony.

The Lakers added a slew of veteran players, but most haven't panned out. Most notably, former MVP Russell Westbrook has not been a good fit alongside Los Angeles star LeBron James. Westbrook is averaging under 20 points for the first time since his second season in the league, and he's been pulled from the team's closing lineup on multiple occasions.

Injuries have also played a part in the Lakers' struggles this year. Star big man Anthony Davis, who had recently returned from a lengthy absence because a sprained MCL, is set to miss more time because of a sprained ankle he suffered right before the All-Star break.