The Los Angeles Lakers have been playing without Anthony Davis for over a month and for the most part, the team has at least been able to stay afloat without him. While there have been ugly moments, Los Angeles has kept the floor from completely bottoming out, giving them a chance to climb the standings once Davis returns.
Los Angeles is going to have to go on a serious run once Davis returns in order to climb the Western Conference totem pole. While the team is still in striking distance, it is also running out of time and cannot afford to keep kicking the can down the road.
Luckily, Lakers fans were giving an exceptional update on Davis’ injury and his potential return date by ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. If everything continues to go as planned, Davis could be returning to the court sooner rather than later.
Dave McMenamin: Anthony Davis, if all goes according to plan, will be back playing next week before the road trip pic.twitter.com/uGiiSp9a5d
— Lakers Supply 🇺🇦🌻 (@LakersSupply) January 20, 2023
The road trip begins with a nationally televised game on Saturday, January 28 against the Boston Celtics. If this timeline is correct, Lakers fans only have to go another week without AD in their lives. If AD returns against Boston, Los Angeles will play five more games without him.
The Los Angeles Lakers need Anthony Davis for this road trip.
This road trip could be the inflection point of the season. If Los Angeles can pick up wins before the road trip and carry that momentum (with AD’s return) into wins on the road then things will be on the up and up. Not only will the Lakers climb the standings but it may convince the front office to make a trade.
However, the season could also go in the other direction. Los Angeles could stumble in these next fives games without AD and if there is a setback in his recovery then Los Angeles will almost certainly have a horrible stretch on the road trip.
The Lakers play the Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers and New Orleans Pelicans on the road. Without AD, that is screaming of a 1-4 stretch for Los Angeles. If the team goes 1-4 in its next five without AD (which is possible) the record would fall to 22-33.
Should Lakers fans look at the glass-half-full, or half-empty?
The Los Angeles Lakers are halfway through the season and are still under .500 and out of the playoff picture. But is there a positive spin?
And at that point, the season will be all but over. These next 10 games are arguably the most important of the entire season and it is incredibly important to get Davis back for the road half of this stretch.