Anthony Davis Returns to Pelicans' Lineup After Missing 1 Game with Ankle Injury

The New Orleans Pelicans announced that superstar big man Anthony Davis will play Sunday against the Utah Jazz.

Davis sat out the Pels' 116-97 loss to the Washington Wizards on Friday with a sprained ankle.

Davis suffered the injury during New Orleans' 114-101 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday.

The Pelicans sorely missed Davis' presence Friday, as their loss to Washington snapped an 11-game winning streak.

Davis is enjoying an MVP-caliber season with averages of 28.1 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.3 blocks and 1.5 steals. All of those represent a career high for The Brow aside from the blocks category.

While the 25-year-old has been a key factor for New Orleans ever since it selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft, his importance has grown since All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins was lost for the season in January with a torn Achilles.

In seven games without Davis this season, the Pelicans are just 3-4.

Over his past 11 games, Davis has scored 40 or more points on five occasions, which represents a major challenge for a Utah team that boasts a triumvirate of top-flight interior defenders in the form of Rudy Gobert, Derrick Favors and Jae Crowder.