For the Los Angeles Lakers, the second half of the 2020-21 season is all about Anthony Davis. The defending champions are hoping for their superstar big man to make a full recovery from his latest injury as the Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns and others pose tough tests in a deep Western Conference.

Before the All-Star break, Davis was not the force that the Lakers expected him to be in his second season with the club. The 28-year-old missed 14 of Los Angeles’ 37 games because of various ailments, the latest of which has kept him sidelined since Feb. 14.

There have been scarce updates about Davis' condition. He missed games on Feb. 8 and 10 with tendinosis in his right Achilles. The eight-time All-Star had been managing the discomfort “for a while,” ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported at the time. Lakers head coach Frank Vogel said the team was taking a precautionary measure and that the injury was nothing to worry about.

In his second game back, Davis aggravated the injury and was forced to leave the contest against the Denver Nuggets. An MRI also revealed a calf strain for Davis. The Lakers determined that Davis would be reevaluated in 2-3 weeks.

On Feb. 19, Vogel said Davis would be out four weeks. When doctors took another look at Davis’ injury in early March, Vogel confirmed that the Lakers’ star was still on track for his original timeline.

The Lakers are scheduled to play their first game after the All-Star break on Friday at home against the Indiana Pacers. Los Angeles has back-to-back games scheduled against the Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves Monday and Tuesday, respectively.

A return after four weeks would mean that Davis suits up Thursday, March 18 against the Charlotte Hornets. The Lakers, however, may take a more cautious approach with their star forward due to the heavy workload that awaits.

The Lakers have six games scheduled between March 20 and March 28 as the league tries to squeeze in its 72-game season before the playoffs start on May 22.

The Lakers might consider themselves lucky if Davis only misses a month. A more severe Achilles injury could potentially cost Davis the rest of the season.

Davis' absence has been clearly felt. Including the Feb. 14 contest that Davis left early because of his current injuries, L.A. has lost seven of its last 10 games. Point guard Dennis Schroder also missed some time during that stretch and LeBron James didn’t play in the team’s final game heading into All-Star Weekend.

The Lakers dropped to the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. Los Angeles is only two games in the loss column ahead of the No. 7 seed.

James continues to be a dominant force but Davis' presence is crucial for the Lakers' title hopes. Davis was the postseason’s top defensive player during last year’s championship run and he averaged 27.7 points and 9.7 rebounds per game in the playoffs.

LeBron James Anthony Davis Lakers
LeBron James #23 and Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrate during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Staples Center on February 12, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. Meg Oliphant/Getty Images
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