Anthony Davis Injury Impact on Lakers: Comparison of LA Lakers' performance with and without him on the court

Anthony Davis' injury has been a major setback for the LA Lakers this season. Just as the All-Star big man was returning to his old self, he was forced to be sidelined for an extended period.

Anthony Davis suffered a foot injury right before Christmas in a matchup against the Denver Nuggets. Since then, he has missed the last 16 games.

Despite losing one of their top players, the Lakers have managed to stay afloat. Over this stretch, they have posted an 8-8 record.

The Anthony Davis injury caused a shift on both ends of the floor for the LA Lakers

Diving into the numbers, the LA Lakers have seen a slight dip on the defensive end since Davis' injury. They have the 20th-best defense in the NBA all season but have dropped to 24th during Davis' absence.

While the Lakers defense has taken a hit, the same cannot be said for the offense. In fact, their offensive numbers have improved greatly over this 16-game stretch. Since Davis went down with injury, LA have had the eighth-best offense in the league in terms of offensive rating (116.8).

Part of why the Lakers have looked so good offensively is because of a dominant run from LeBron James. Over his last 15 outings, the four-time MVP has averaged 34.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 7.9 assists. Other standouts on that end include Russell Westbrook (18.4 PPG), Dennis Schroder (15.4 PPG), and Thomas Bryant (15.4 PPG).

When is Anthony Davis set to return?

The Lakers have managed to slowly climb up the standings following Davis' injury, and they might be getting him back just in time for a playoff push. In his most recent news dump, Shams Charania of The Athletic provided a potential return date for the Lakers star.

"Lakers star Anthony Davis is aiming to return to the lineup by early February, within a handful of games before the All-Star break, league sources say."

Before getting injured, Anthony Davis was posting averages of 27.4 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks. Getting him back right before the All-Star break could help the Lakers carry positive momentum into the final weeks of the regular season.

With Davis not returning until early February, the Lakers front office has a tough decision to make. Seeing that they're only a few games out of a playoff spot, they might be inclined to make a move or two before the February 9 trade deadline.