LOS ANGELES – Anthony Davis is just days away from returning from an absence of nearly nine weeks, and LeBron James has progressed to “easy work” on the field, Lakers coach Frank Vogel said before losing his 111- team. 97 in the Utah Jazz Monday.
Vogel said Davis, who was ruled out on Feb. 14 with a calf strain and tendinosis in his right leg, managed to do some “good work” on the field after the LA morning meeting and will “accumulate” in the next two. days until the next game of the Lakers on Thursday, on the road against the Dallas Mavericks.
The last hurdle for Davis, according to Vogel, is working to regain his grip.
“The biggest thing is conditioning right now,” Vogel said. “He is healthy. But without playing and not being able to really increase his physical activity on the field in the last two months, it will take some time for him to make the wind under him and this is obviously the biggest thing. “Because if his feet are not under him, we do not want to be exposed to the risk of re-aggravation of the injury or another injury.
James came out on March 20 when he suffered a raised right ankle sprain against the Atlanta Hawks.
The Lakers have managed to hold on harder since their stars dropped, going 14-15 since Davis’ injury and 7-8 since they missed both Davis and James on Monday.
Vogel warned that while the news Davis and James are encouraging, the Lakers continue to work for them without the dominant duo. Davis’ playing time, for example, will be limited to the 15-minute interval in each of his first two games back in line, according to Vogel.
“I don’t think we’re still there, to be honest,” Vogel said when asked if the defending champions had finally come out of the woods. “I know I’m not, my coaching staff isn’t. Even when Anthony comes back, it’ll be in a few short minutes … We’re still at a time when we have to compete and win games for the most part without the boys those. “
While Davis’ potential comeback may be circled in the calendar, it is believed that James is still a few weeks away from getting back into action, sources told ESPN.
“Just trying to do more with his work every day,” Vogel said of James.