The Lakers are set to face the Pistons tomorrow night in Detroit, with a chance to extend their winning streak to 10 games. While the Pistons will certainly be shorthanded (without Cade Cunningham, the MVP candidate who is sidelined due to a collapsed lung), the Lakers could also be missing a key starter in this game, and it’s not Luka Doncic.
According to the Lakers’ latest injury report, Marcus Smart (right ankle soreness), along with Rui Hachimura (right calf soreness) and Maxi Kleber, has been listed as questionable for this fixture. Smart has been pivotal to the Lakers’ success, making key contributions on both ends of the floor.
The 32-year-old guard has averaged 9.5 points, 2.8 assists, and 2.8 rebounds in the 60 games he has played for the Lakers this season. Smart shot 39.9% from the floor and 33.6% from beyond the arc during this time, and started 53 of those games.
Both Hachimura and Smart have been downgraded to questionable after not being on the injury report before their last win in Orlando. But Maxi Kleber, who missed the past seven games due to a lumbar strain in his back, has upgraded from previously being out to questionable for their visit to Detroit.
While Kleber’s absence may not impact the Lakers’ rhythm as much, since he has missed most of their winning streak games, both Hachimura and Smart potentially sitting out could be a momentum-shifting change for the Lakers.
Even though the Lakers would still have four of their five starters available to play, potentially playing without Hachimura and Smart could cost them dearly on the defensive end of the floor as well as in terms of floor spacing.
Other than Luke Kennard, who nailed the game-winner against the Magic last night, the Lakers do not have a lot of players suitable for floor spacing beyond Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Therefore, while the franchise will be optimistic for potentially having Kleber back tomorrow, they could have worse things to worry about. With 11 games left in the season, each night is a battle for securing the third seed and the home-court advantage in the playoffs now for the Lakers.
If the Lakers win tomorrow, they will improve to 47-25 for the season. But in order to do that, they will hope to have the full strength of their bench available to play.
Even though the Pistons will not have their star player, Cade Cunningham, in action, Jalen Duren and the rest of the team are very capable of coming out all guns blazing and pulling off a surprising win to end the Lakers’ winning streak. It will be interesting to see what happens in Detroit tomorrow.
