LOS ANGELES — When Anthony Davis’ right leg became too painful to play on two months ago, the big man and the Los Angeles Lakers decided he wouldn’t return until he was completely ready to be himself again.
More than two months later, Davis is confident that time has arrived with 14 regular-season games left in the Lakers’ push to defend their NBA title.
Davis intends to play Thursday night when the Lakers open a four-game trip at Dallas, he said after a workout at the team’s training complex. He hasn’t suited up since Feb. 14, missing Los Angeles’ last 30 games in the longest injury absence of his nine-year NBA career.
“I wanted to make sure I was coming back 100%, because it wouldn’t be fair to myself, wouldn’t be fair to my team,” Davis said Wednesday. “I feel great. These last games leading to the playoffs, a lot of teams aren’t healthy, a lot of players aren’t healthy. I’m 100%, and we’ve got Bron coming back as well who’s going to be 100% healthy. I think we’ve put ourselves in a good position.”
Indeed, the Lakers (35-23) have managed to stay in the No. 5 spot in the Western Conference standings despite playing without Davis for nine weeks and without LeBron James since March 20. The Lakers went 14-16 without Davis, and they’re 7-9 since both Davis and James went down.
Coach Frank Vogel said James is still “probably a couple of weeks or so” away from returning from his sprained ankle.
Davis will start when he returns, but will only play about 15 minutes in his first game back. Vogel intends to monitor his superstar’s acclimation closely, and his return could be pushed back another game if Davis feels sore on Thursday morning.
ROCKETS: Guard Sterling Brown is back in Houston recovering from injuries sustained when he was assaulted outside a strip club in Miami early Monday morning.
Coach Stephen Silas said he spoke to Brown on Tuesday and he reached out to him Wednesday but had not gotten in touch with him. He said Brown is seeing doctors and working with the team’s training staff as he recovers.
PACERS: The already short-handed Indiana Pacers played Oklahoma City without forward JaKarr Sampson after the NBA announced he would serve a one-game suspension following his ejection during Monday’s loss to San Antonio.
Sampson received a flagrant two foul and automatic ejection early in the fourth quarter against the Spurs. The incident began as Sampson and San Antonio guard Patty Mills fought for a rebound, resulting in a shoving match. Sampson then confronted Mills and headbutted him before Spurs forward Rudy Gay shoved Sampson.
Mills and Gay both received technical fouls for their part in the altercation. The league fined Mills $25,000 and Gay $20,000.
CAVALIERS: Swingman Dylan Windler underwent surgery on his left knee and will be sidelined indefinitely.
• Coach J.B. Bickerstaff missed Wednesday night’s game against the Chicago Bulls due to personal reasons.
The Cavaliers expect Bickerstaff to return for Friday night’s game at Charlotte.
WEDNESDAY’S GAMES
KNICKS 137, HAWKS 127: Julius Randle had 40 points and 10 rebounds to lead New York to an overtime win at home, extending its winning streak to eight games.
Randle’s driving layup with eight seconds left in regulation gave New York a 122-119 lead, but Bogdan Bogdanovic hit a 3-pointer with 6.2 seconds left to send the game into overtime.
The Knicks scored the first 10 points of the extra session.
Derrick Rose and Immanuel Quickley each scored 20 points for New York. Reggie Bullock added 18 and R.J Barrett 16. Nerlens Noel had 12 rebounds.
Trae Young had 20 points and 14 assists for the Hawks, but left the game with 1:13 remaining in the third quarter after suffering an ankle injury. He did not return.
PACERS 122, THUNDER 116: With seven men out, the host Pacers came up big by playing small ball, running away from reeling Oklahoma City.
Malcolm Brogdon had 29 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists, and Caris LeVert scored 28 points as the severely short-handed Pacers snapped a three-game losing streak despite playing without anyone taller than 6-foot-7. Indiana was missing three starters – two-time All-Star forward Domantas Sabonis, center Myles Turner and forward T.J. Warren – and four backups.
Darius Bazley matched his career high with 26 points and Svi Mykhailiuk had 20 points to lead the Thunder. Oklahoma City has lost 12 in a row overall, seven straight on the road and is still seeking its first victory in April.
SUNS 116, 76ERS 113: Chris Paul scored 28 points, Devin Booker had 19 and Mikal Bridges 18 to lead Phoenix to a win at Philadelphia.
Joel Embiid, who had 38 points and 17 rebounds, heaved a full-court shot at the horn that rattled around the rim and put the All-Star center on his back in disbelief over the near-make.
CAVALIERS 121, BULLS 105: Collin Sexton scored 30 points and Darius Garland added 25 as Cleveland never trailed in beating Chicago to end a five-game home losing streak.
Kevin Love added 15 points and nine rebounds for Cleveland, which built its largest lead of the season at 94-61 in the third quarter on its way to its first victory at home in a month.
WIZARDS 118, WARRIORS 114: Stephen Curry had his first rough night in a month, and Bradley Beal rallied host Washington in the fourth quarter for its season-best sixth straight victory.
Coming off a historic 11-game stretch in which he made 78 3-pointers and surpassed Beal as the NBA’s scoring leader, Curry scored 18 points on 7-of-25 shooting, including 2 of 14 on 3s.
Beal scored 29 points as the glamorous matchup with Curry mostly fizzled until Washington’s late rally. He pounded his chest after scoring on a drive with 2:44 left and drawing a sixth foul on Draymond Green. Beal converted the three-point play to bring Washington within one, and he found Davis Bertans for a 3-pointer that put the Wizards ahead for good with 2 minutes remaining.
RAPTORS 114, NETS 103: Pascal Siakam had 27 points and nine rebounds, OG Anunoby scored 25 points and Toronto beat visiting Brooklyn for its fourth straight victory.
Kyrie Irving had 28 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists for the Nets, and Bruce Brown added 21 points and 14 rebounds.
Nets forward F Kevin Durant missed his second game after aggravating a thigh injury Sunday at Miami.
JAZZ 112, ROCKETS 89: Jordan Clarkson scored 22 points, Joe Ingles had 21 and NBA-leading Utah won at Houston.
The Jazz have won 4 of 5. The 23-point margin was Utah’s most-lopsided victory over Houston since a 118-91 blowout Dec. 6, 2018.
Rudy Gobert had 19 points, 18 rebounds and two blocks for Utah, Mike Conley had 11 points and 13 assists, Bojan Bogdanovic scored 14 points, and Georges Niang added 13.
John Wall led Houston with 21 points and six assists.
HEAT 107, SPURS 87: Bam Adebayo scored 23 points and Jimmy Butler had 18 points and 11 assists to help visiting Miami win its third straight.
Tyler Herro added 22 points for Miami, which has won 9 of 13.
San Antonio was led by DeMar DeRozan with 15 points.
MAVERICKS 127, PISTONS 117: Luka Doncic had 30 points and 10 rebounds, Kristaps Porzingis added 19 points and seven boards and host Dallas broke a four-game losing streak.
Jalen Brunson scored 18 of his 20 points in the first half of a game that was supposed to be played Feb. 17 but was postponed because of severe winter weather in Texas.
Jerami Grant scored 26 points and Cory Joseph added 23 for the Pistons, who haven’t beaten a team with a winning record since a 108-102 win at Boston on Feb. 12. Mason Plumlee had 13 points and 16 rebounds.
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