Is Anthony Davis playing tonight against Detroit Pistons? Latest on former All-Star game MVP's status (February 13)

Anthony Davis is available to face the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night. The LA Lakers' All-Star forward has carried the questionable status since November, entering every game. Davis' availability was a game-time decision again.

Davis has been massive for the Purple and Gold, averaging 24.7 points, 12.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists on 55.4% shooting. He's also tallied 2.4 blocks and 1.2 steals per game. His presence has had more impact on the Lakers than anyone, including LeBron James. LA's 1-3 record in Davis' absence is a testament to that.

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What happened to Anthony Davis?

Anthony Davis is dealing with a bilateral Achilles tendinopathy and hip spasm issue. The former is a non-contact injury endured due to excessive workload. The latter was a contact injury. He suffered that issue in November against the Miami Heat. Davis has aggravated the injury multiple times.

Despite these ailments bothering him for multiple weeks, Davis has missed only four games this season. He's been reliable, which has been critical to the Lakers' staying afloat amid injury issues to other players.

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Anthony Davis stats vs. Detroit Pistons

Anthony Davis has played 18 games against the Detroit Pistons, averaging 28.8 ppg, 11.3 rpg and 2.7 apg on 58.3% shooting. He holds a 17-1 record against them. Davis had 28 points, 16 rebounds, four assists and three blocks when the teams last met on Nov. 29, 2023. He guided the Lakers to a 133-107 win.

The Pistons were amid the worst stretch in NBA and franchise history back then. However, things have slightly improved for the "Motor City" after the trade deadline with some veteran additions. Detroit has signed Evan Fournier, Troy Brown Jr. and Shake Milton.

Meanwhile, some exciting prospects like Simone Fonteccio and Quentin Grimes are also on the team. Center Jalen Duren has continued showing promise in the team's 2-1 stretch leading to Tuesday's game.

The Lakers can't afford to take this lightly, making Anthony Davis' presence of utmost importance for this contest. The Lakers displayed the tendency to take their foot off the pedal against bottom-ranked teams, which they can't afford with a 28-26 record.

LA has won four of their last five, so they have a solid chance to make a run and potentially get into the top-six mix over their next five games. It's a relatively easy schedule for them. The Phoenix Suns will be the only team with a better record than the Lakers during this stretch.