How bad is Anthony Davis' recent injury? Assessing early signs, impact, and his possible return timeline

Anthony Davis' nasty ankle injury could put the LA Lakers' play-in contention in jeopardy. [Photo: Silver Screen and Roll]

Anthony Davis and the LA Lakers had another heart-stopping moment with three minutes left in the second quarter of the Lakers' game against the Utah Jazz.

The superstar big man went sky-high for a lob from Malik Monk before coming down hard on Rudy Gobert’s heel. Time felt suspended as AD writhed in pain while clutching his right ankle.

Before the gruesome injury, Davis was playing arguably his best first half of the season. He had 17 points already, including a rare three-point shot. The 28-year-old forward/center added two rebounds, two assists, a steal and two blocks to thoroughly dominate Gobert on both ends of the court.

Anthony Davis goes down grabbing his right ankle. He was helped off the court and headed straight to the locker room. https://t.co/c60eXALIIl

Anthony Davis grimaced in pain all the way to the tunnel where he was eventually carried to the locker room by DeAndre Jordan and Dwight Howard. The rest of Davis’ teammates looked crestfallen and deflated, recognizing another unfortunate moment in a season filled with numerous failures already.

Anthony Davis could not put any weight on his right ankle and had to be carried back to the locker room. https://t.co/KFVvJr9qZC

LeBron James, who was trying to keep Davis rolling following the big man’s fast start, almost looked defeated. With AD likely to miss more than a few weeks, he’ll have his workload ramped up even as he deals with his own nagging injuries.

Anthony Davis’ initial X-ray results were negative

If the early tests proved conclusive, the LA Lakers and Anthony Davis dodged a bullet. A sprained ankle is far better than a broken one, which could still allow the 8x All-Star to get back on the court before the season ends.

The Lakers, though, will reportedly conduct another series of tests to ensure that the preliminary results are true. The team’s medical staff has already scheduled an MRI for tomorrow.

Official word from the Lakers: Anthony Davis has a right ankle sprain; X-rays were negative. No time table for recovery provided at this time. He will be reevaluated after the All-Star break.

AD will be sidelined indefinitely since the Purple and Gold have not set a clear timeline for his return. Depending on the severity of the sprain, a complete recovery could take three to eight weeks or even months. Needless to say, if it takes a month or two to fully heal, the LA Lakers’ season could be in jeopardy.

Davis could also put himself at risk by speeding up his return. He will most probably force the issue if the Lakers are in danger of not even grabbing a play-in spot.

What is the impact of Anthony Davis’ injury?

LeBron James' minutes and workload are bound to go up after Anthony Davis' injury. [Photo: Silver Screen and Roll]

The Los Angeles Lakers are 10-11 without Anthony Davis this season. Though they survived AD’s injury and toppled the Utah Jazz 106-101, they are still four games below .500. In his absence, head coach Frank Vogel will be forced to put LeBron James at center again.

While James has been terrific playing the 5 in Davis’ absence, he himself is dealing with knee issues. The added load on the Lakers’ franchise player could create more trouble for the beleaguered franchise.

The Tinseltown franchise have one of the toughest schedules left in the NBA. They still have to face the Jazz one more time and then battle Dallas, Phoenix, Golden State and Toronto twice. The Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers and the troublesome LA Clippers are also on the schedule.

LeBron James last year: "Whoever came up with the play-in tournament needs to be fired."

The Lakers are currently 9th in the West and have the hardest strength of schedule remaining. https://t.co/oUW4LYevbR

The brutal schedule without the team's best frontline player will be even more daunting. The LA Lakers, unbelievably, could be in danger of missing the play-in.