The 40-22 Los Angeles Lakers will be severely undermanned for their upcoming clash with the 21-42 Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. The Lakers have released their injury report for Monday’s game, and it’s not a good read.
A total of five players will not be suiting up against the Nets, with LeBron James being the most notable one of the lot. James suffered a left groin strain during Saturday’s 111-101 loss to the Boston Celtics and is expected to be out for at least 1-2 weeks.
James had suffered a groin injury in his first season with the Lakers that caused him to miss 17 straight games, but this latest one isn’t quite as serious. NBA insider Shams Charania reported that LeBron did not hear a pop this time around, to allay fears that he could potentially be on the sidelines for a while.
Another Lakers player set to be out for at least another week is Rui Hachimura. Hachimura went down with a knee injury on Feb. 27 and has been listed as out for this clash due to left patellar tendinopathy. Lakers head coach JJ Redick stated before the game against the Celtics that he’d provide an update on the forward in about a week.
As if missing two starting forwards wasn’t bad enough, the Lakers will also be without Dorian Finney-Smith, who had slotted into the lineup for Hachimura. Finney-Smith is out with left ankle soreness, and this has been a problem for much of this campaign. He missed some time earlier this season during his tenure with the Nets due to a left ankle sprain and still appears to be feeling the effects of it.
The last Laker to be out with an injury is Maxi Kleber, who is recovering from right foot surgery. Kleber is yet to make his debut for the Lakers, and the hope is that he’ll return before the end of the regular season.
The Lakers will also be without Bronny James against the Nets, but his absence is due to him heading to the G League to play for the South Bay Lakers. Bronny has impressed in the developmental league lately and will be keen to put on a show against the Motor City Cruise on Monday.
While these five won’t be suiting up, the Lakers have some hope that Luka Doncic and Jaxson Hayes will, with both being listed as questionable. Doncic is suffering from back soreness after taking a hard fall during Thursday’s 113-109 win over the New York Knicks. He was able to play against the Celtics but was seen wincing in pain at times during the night.
As for Hayes, he missed the game against the Celtics due to a right knee contusion. Redick had stated he didn’t believe the injury was too serious and the big man should be back sooner rather than later.
A week ago, you’d have marked this game against the Nets as an easy win for the Lakers, but the result is very much in doubt now. If Doncic isn’t able to suit up either, the Nets could well come away with a win.
Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We really appreciate your support.
