Lakers' superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis are both targeting to make a comeback on Friday's game as their team cling to their hopes to make the play-in tournament as the NBA season winds down into its final week.
Davis' rehabilitation has reached the stage that he and the club are targeting Friday's game against the Pelicans, while LeBron's condition will be a game-time judgment.
In Sunday's loss to the Pelicans, James sprained his ankle, and while he was able to finish the game, the swelling caused him to miss games against Dallas on Tuesday and Utah on Thursday, per Silverscreen and Roll report.
Two of the Lakers' last three games have been lost due to the superstar's absence. He stayed out against the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday with a sprained left ankle after missing last Wednesday's game against the Philadelphia 76ers due to left knee pain.
Davis will play against the Pelicans unless he has a relapse with his ailing foot, while James hopes to return as well, and will put his damaged ankle to the test before deciding, as per ESPN Senior NBA Correspondent Adrian Wojnarowski's report via Twitter.
As Anthony Davis -- out since Feb. 16 with a foot sprain -- progresses toward a game-time decision vs. New Orleans on Friday, LeBron James is hopeful to test out his ankle sprain and try to make a return to the lineup too, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 31, 2022
Utah Jazz Snaps Losing Streak
The Utah Jazz stopped its five-game losing streak with a 122-109 victory against the Lakers on Thursday night.
Donovan Mitchell produced 29 points while Rudy Gobert made 15 points and 17 rebounds as the duo led the team to attain the huge win, as per ESPN.
Mitchell said the team was pressured by the "negativity" and the losses in their previous games. "So it's nice to celebrate this one tonight."
A Crucial Game For The Lakers
Despite losing the game, Lakers head coach Frank Vogel appreciated the efforts of the team without its two superstars per LA Times. He is still optimistic that the team will be at "full strength" as they head to Friday's game against the Pelicans.
"We have to stay in the fight and we have to give ourselves a chance," Vogel said.
Though, the Lakers are at looming risk to miss the playoffs after losing against the Jazz, per Bleacher Report.
It will be the first time the two have played together since the Lakers center got injured on Feb. 16 if both James and Davis return to the court on Friday. If Russell Westbrook can join them, it will be only the 21st time the three have played together this season, since they have only played together for 376 minutes.
Injuries have played a key role in the Lakers' struggles this season, as they sit in 11th place in the Western Conference ahead of Thursday's game against the Jazz.
The Lakers' troubles this season have been exacerbated by injuries, and they currently sit in 11th place in the Western Conference.
Friday's game against the Pelicans will be the final game of the season for the Lakers, which are closely competing for a position in the play-in round against New Orleans or San Antonio. Hence it is a crucial one and fans hope that James and Davis will be able to make it to the game to keep their playoffs dreams alive.
