Pelicans: Plan for Anthony Davis to play 20-23 minutes, sit fourth quarter against Lakers

The Pelicans already said Anthony Davis will receive regular, though limited, playing time the rest of the season.

But no remaining game will attract more attention about Davis’ role than tonight’s against the Lakers.

It’s nationally televised. The Lakers – with LeBron James, who shares agent Rich Paul with Davis – made the strongest, most public push for Davis before the trade deadline. And the Lakers are in the thick of a competitive playoff race.

Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN:

New Orleans Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said the plan remains to utilize Davis around “20 to 23" minutes and that he will likely not see action in the fourth

Davis has alternated between dominant and disinterested since the trade deadline, but the results have skewed positive. The Pelicans are +18 with Davis and -46 without him since the trade deadline. However, they also beat the Lakers by 13 Saturday in a game Davis sat entirely.

How will Davis handle the attention of being in Los Angeles tonight? How will New Orleans respond?

The Pelicans are doing well to limit Davis’ injury risk, but they haven’t diminished the surrounding drama.