Pelicans’ Anthony Davis Could Return Next Week from Finger Injury

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New Orleans Pelicans star Anthony Davis could return to game action as soon as next week as he works his way back from a finger injury, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. 

Wojnarowski noted that Davis suffered a volar plate avulsion fracture on his left index finger.

“It’s a better outcome than we originally feared,” Davis’ agent Rich Paul said, per Wojnarowski. “It’s more of an injury of pain tolerance. They need to see the swelling go down and the range of motion increase.”

Davis will be “re-evaluated every 48 to 72 hours” after Friday, per Wojnarowski.

Since being drafted No. 1 overall in 2012, the 6’10”, 253-pound big man has had some trouble staying on the court throughout his career. He averaged just 65 games through the first four seasons of his career, never making more than 68 appearances during that span. 

He has, however, maintained relatively good health recently, making 75 appearances in each of the past two seasons.

Davis has been sidelined on a number of occasions this season as he has dealt with various injuries, including a sprained right elbow and a left index finger sprain. 

Even with the injuries, Davis has still been performing at an MVP-caliber level this season. He is averaging 29.3 points, 13.3 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game this season.

There is no question New Orleans needs a healthy Davis in order to make some noise in the playoffs. The five-time All-Star is a force on both ends of the court, and his presence cannot be easily replaced. When he’s sidelined, the onus falls on Nikola Mirotic and Julius Randle to carry the load in the frontcourt. Former No. 3 overall pick Jahlil Okafor could see more playing time when Davis is out.