Anthony Davis Reportedly Targeting Return from Foot Injury vs. Pelicans or Nuggets

The Los Angeles Lakers are optimistic about getting Anthony Davis back in the lineup for Friday's game against the New Orleans Pelicans or Sunday's matchup with the Denver Nuggets, according to Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes.

Davis hasn't played since a Feb. 16 win over the Utah Jazz because of a mid-foot sprain.

When the eight-time All-Star went down, the Lakers were ninth in the Western Conference at 27-31. They had a four-game cushion on the 11th-place Pelicans.

Entering Tuesday's contest against the Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles only had a half-game lead on the San Antonio Spurs for the final place in the NBA's play-in tournament. The threat of L.A. not even cracking the top 10 of the West is very real.

In addition to Davis, the Lakers have to forge ahead for the time being without LeBron James, who suffered a minor ankle injury in Sunday's 116-108 loss to the Pelicans.

Getting Davis back would clearly help head coach Frank Vogel. The 6'10" forward is averaging 23.1 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks this season. And one look at the starting five Monday night showed how dire things have gotten for the Lakers: Russell Westbrook, Malik Monk, Austin Reaves, Stanley Johnson and Dwight Howard.

But it might be far too late for Davis to make a meaningful difference when Los Angeles has just seven games left the rest of the way.