The Los Angeles Lakers have been dealing with injuries all season long, and that theme holds true for Saturday night’s showdown against the Golden State Warriors. As it stands, the Lakers will be shorthanded for this matchup in more ways than one as they stay committed to a cautious approach.
Starting with Luka Doncic, Redick confirmed in a pre-game chat with the media that he would not be present in today’s game. He’s still having complications from a “mild” hamstring injury and has been labelled as day-to-day going forward. The next time he’ll take the court is likely on Monday, against the Oklahoma City Thunder, giving Doncic a total of three full days of rest.
After one and a half seasons, Doncic is fully comfortable in the Lakers’ offense, and it’s led to some of the best basketball of his career. In 42 games this season, he’s averaging 32.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.6 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game on 47.3% shooting and 34.5% shooting from three. Besides leading the league in scoring, he ranks near the top in MVP ballots for leading the Lakers to the fifth seed in the West (31-19).
As for Reaves, he just recently came back after an extended absence. Now that he’s fully healthy, fans are calling for him to fall back into his usual role, but Redick has other plans. Despite dropping 35 points in Thursday’s win, the NBA sharpshooter remains on a minute restriction. You can expect roughly 25 minutes of playing time for this contest and likely for the next few games to come.
After missing weeks with a Grade 2 calf strain, the Lakers are doing their part to ensure that they ease Reaves back into action. By not rushing him back to his normal workload, the Lakers can increase their odds that he’s healthy and feeling good for the rest of the season. In 25 games this season, he’s averaging 26.5 points, 5,2 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game on 51.1% shooting and 37.2% shooting from three.
With Luka out and Reaves’ participation limited, the Lakers will have to look for other ways to keep the offense flowing. LeBron James is going to be important as a playmaker and opportunity scorer, but he’ll need help if the Lakers want to defend their home court tonight. To win, guys like Rui Hachimura, Jake LaRavia, and Deandre Ayton will have to step up and fill in for the absence of Doncic.
The good news for Los Angeles is that this situation is only temporary. Doncic and Reaves will be available and able to play without restrictions very soon, and it will unlock everything for this team. Until then, it’s the “next man up” mentality, just like it’s been all season long.
