The Los Angeles Lakers are thinking ahead as they look to continue their ongoing hot streak. As winners of eight straight games, they are peaking at the right time, but their situation remains fragile heading into the final stretch of games.
Coming off their victory against the Heat on Thursday, the Lakers are facing questionable availability for some major rotation players. Maxi Kleber (back strain) has already been ruled out, while Austin Reaves is questionable with left hip soreness.
Meanwhile, for the Magic, Anthony Black (abdominal strain), Jonathan Isaac (knee sprain), and Franz Wagner (ankle sprain) are out, while Wendell Carter Jr. (rib contusion) is questionable. They will be desperate for a win after losing their previous three games.
From the Lakers’ perspective, this matchup comes at a particularly tight portion of the schedule. They just completed a back-to-back set on the road, and they still have games against the Pistons and Cavaliers before the end of the month. Tonight, they’ll have their hands full against a rowdy Magic squad that’s been up and down all season (38-31).
Even with Luka and LeBron, not having Reaves would be a major blow to their chances. The All-Star guard has been having a career year for the Lakers with averages of 23.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game on 49.4% shooting and 36.6% shooting from three. As a steady shooter and consistent source of offense, he’s the kind of guy who swings games for the Purple and Gold.
While Reaves is only marked as questionable with knee soreness, we know the Lakers have been playing it safe all season. With how packed the schedule has been and how much he’s had to carry, lingering knee pain could be a sign that Reaves needs to step it back to avoid the risk of further aggravation.
As for Kleber, it could be a while before we see him on the court again. He’s been limited to 35 games this season due to various issues, and Redick already said that it will be a while before he’s ready to play again. His absence leaves the Lakers thin in the frontcourt, putting more burden on Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes to step up and carry the load on both ends of the floor.
Ultimately, it won’t be until game day that we find out the Lakers’ availability against Orlando, but they’ve been enduring challenges all season. Amid various injuries to key players, the Lakers have employed a “next man up ” mentality that has kept them afloat all season.
Now, at third in the West (45-25), the Lakers are facing their biggest test of the season. If they can dominate down the stretch and maintain this current pace, it could set the stage for an unexpected playoff run this summer. Only time will tell where it leads, but the process to victory starts now. That’s why it’s so important that the Lakers stay healthy the rest of the way, so that they can keep this rhythm and build up good habits for the battles to come.
