Anthony Davis 'Looked Phenomenal' in Scrimmage for Foot Injury Recovery

Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham told reporters Sunday that star big man Anthony Davis "looked phenomenal" in a full contact scrimmage on Saturday as he progresses in his recovery from a foot injury.

Davis scrimmaged with the "stay ready" group that includes bench players and members of the coaching staff.

Davis hasn't played since Dec. 16 due to a stress injury in his right foot.

However, Ham said Thursday that Davis was "progressing really, really, really well," and ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that there's "optimism" he could return to the court later this week as he continues to make "pain-free progress" in his recovery.

In a discussion with ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk, Dave McMenamin added that the plan is for Davis to return to the lineup before the Purple and Gold head out on a five-game road trip beginning Jan. 28 against the Boston Celtics.

When healthy, Davis is one of the best players in the NBA. He's averaging 27.4 points, 12.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.1 blocks while shooting 59.4 percent from the floor and 29 percent from deep.

The problem is that Davis can never seem to stay healthy. He appeared in just 36 games during the 2020-21 campaign and 40 games last season because of injuries.

The Lakers are far more dangerous when Davis is on the court, but his continued injury struggles have become an unpleasant reality for the team.

L.A. has gone 9-9 in Davis' latest absence, and it currently sits 13th in the Western Conference with a 21-25 record. There's still a chance for the Lakers to reach the play-in tournament or even clinch a playoff berth, so the sooner Davis returns, the better.