The Lakers were already down four starters going into tonight’s game against the San Antonio Spurs. So with the odds already stacked against them, it felt like a massive blow when Deandre Ayton was also ruled out just hours before tip-off. His absence means the team will be without its entire starting unit.
Ayton is out with right knee soreness, joining LeBron James (left foot arthritis), Luka Doncic (left hamstring strain), Austin Reaves (left calf injury management), and Marcus Smart (right ankle soreness). Meanwhile, Lindy Waters III is the only one out for the Spurs due to left knee hyperextension.
Ayton (who didn’t play on Saturday) was initially listed as questionable to play, offering a glimpse of hope that he might suit up to give the Lakers some much-needed firepower. Instead, he was a late scratch, lowering the odds even further that the Lakers might pull off an upset against the second-best team in the West.
Fans are less than happy with this development, especially since they failed to take advantage of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s absence yesterday. Now, without half of their rotation, they are almost sure to take the loss today, which would put them in a two-way tie with the Timberwolves for the sixth seed. That’s not even to mention their tough showdown against the Mavericks on Thursday, which marks their last game before the All-Star break.
The good news for the Lakers is that none of these injuries is serious. While their commitment to winning might be in question, the health of the team will improve quickly over the next few days as multiple players finish their recovery plans. If that’s not enough, this extended break from action should give Los Angeles all the time it needs to get whole and healthy again before the second-half of the season.
At 32-20 and 6-4 in their last 10 games, this season hasn’t been as smooth as the Lakers would have hoped. But with the franchise transitioning to a new face/leader, these growing pains are to be expected. For Pelinka and the front office, the goal now is to bide their time and wait for the right opportunity to make a big-time move.
Until then, the Lakers will have to work with what they have, and that means doing everything to keep this group together and healthy for the playoffs. With a few months still to go, they feel it’s imperative to manage everyone’s workloads, even if it means taking a few more losses in the process.
