Anthony Davis has been sidelined with a sprained MCL in his left knee since Dec. 17. Still, fans are wondering the same thing; is Anthony Davis playing vs Nuggets?

Is Anthony Davis playing vs Nuggets?

After undergoing an MRI the next day, the Los Angeles Lakers ruled him out for at least four weeks and said the All-Star big-man would be re-evaluated at the end of that window.

Well, that four-week timeline has nearly run its course. There's a chance the Lakers will provide a much-anticipated update on Davis as early as Monday, and we may even hear from him. AD has missed the Lakers past 12 games.

Following Lakers' practice on Friday, Frank Vogel was asked about the status of Davis. As per usual, Vogel didn't offer much, other than to confirm that AD would be re-evaluated in the coming days.

The Lakers head coach has steadfastly declined to offer any insight into AD's rehabilitation process throughout his stint on the injury list, as is customary for the Lakers when their stars are out.

On Jan. 9, we got a promising glimpse of Davis shooting around before a game, wearing a knee brace.

 

So, Davis won't play vs. the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night at the Ball Arena, but he's clearly getting closer to a return to action.

At 21-21, the Lakers — currently seventh in the Western Conference playoff picture — desperately need him back. Los Angeles is 5-7 since AD sprained his MCL (though they're 8-7 overall without him on the season). Predictably, the Lakers have struggled mightily on the defensive end without their stalwart in the middle, as LeBron has largely shifted to small-ball center.

According to ESPN's Dave McMenamin, there is optimism that Davis could return by the end of the month.

Davis is averaging 23.3 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks in 27 appearances this season. He's shooting 56.6% from the field, but just 17.9% from three-point range and 72.7% from the free-throw line.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1TPm3OFftbac33PA5zzf8R?si=e185062c81134868

The Lakers host Rudy Gobert and the Utah Jazz at Crypto.com Arena on Monday. The schedule only gets tougher from there.