Jaxson Hayes has been sidelined at the last minute as he was added to the list of downgraded players in the game with LeBron James, who is also out for the Lakers’ game tonight against the Thunder.
The 25-year-old forward, who is suffering from some left foot soreness, is scratched from the game less than an hour before tip-off. Meanwhile, the 41-year-old veteran is unavailable as a part of his left-foot injury management. Both these players are coming off stellar individual performances in their recent 128-134 loss to the Mavericks.
James fell one rebound short of a 30-point triple-double (30 points, 9 rebounds, 15 assists, 12-22 FG, 54.5 FG%), and Jaxson Hayes efficiently had 23 points, four rebounds, and two assists (8-10 FG, 80.0 FG%). Their absence tonight will be a big hit to the Lakers’ offense as their injury list continues to grow.
The Lakers will not have five of their key players available on the roster tonight as they go up against the defending champions. Since Luka Doncic (grade 2 left hamstring strain), Austin Reaves (grade 2 oblique muscle strain), and Marcus Smart (right foot contusion) were previously listed as out for this game as well.
The Lakers are currently 50-28 before tonight’s matchup, 0.5 games behind the Nuggets, who are in the third seed, and one game ahead of the Rockets, who also play the Suns tonight. At this point, their seeding hopes are only reliant on the Rockets’ losing multiple games if they want to retain home-court advantage in the playoffs.
They are using a rather shocking starting lineup tonight. Rui Hachimura, Drew Timme, Luke Kennard, and Jake LaRavia will all join Deandre Ayton in the starting five to replace their usual starters. Meanwhile, the Thunder are starting Lu Dort, Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, Ajay Mitchell, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
With all hands on deck in their last matchup against the Thunder, the Lakers still suffered a 43-point blowout loss. Without five key players, four of whom are regular starters, they might even suffer a worse fate in today’s fixture.
But the Thunder will also be shorthanded as they play without an All-NBA caliber talent, Jalen Williams (hamstring injury management), and Thomas Sorber (torn ACL). Williams was playing in their last game, but his absence does not have the same impact as the Lakers’ missing out on five key players in their rotation tonight.
Therefore, I anticipate that the Thunder will bulldoze them once again tonight as JJ Redick and the Lakers seem to have thrown in the towel when it comes to the seeding for the playoffs.
