The Los Angeles Lakers will be down several key contributors on Friday as they take on the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center. Coming off a tough loss in Oklahoma City last night, the Lakers will have to rally without a few familiar faces tomorrow.
Expectedly, LeBron James has officially been ruled out as he continues to recover from sciatica. Gabe Vincent (ankle) is also out, but Adou Thiero (knee) is listed as questionable.
James, forty, has yet to suit up for the Lakers this season. In his historic twenty-third campaign, he has opted to take a cautious approach with his health and conditioning. So after suffering a sciatica injury over the summer, LeBron has taken special care not to rush the recovery process.
While he is set to return sometime this month, now is not the time. As reported earlier this week, James did not travel with the team on their five-game road trip, and the soonest we can expect him back is next Tuesday against the Utah Jazz.
While he waits, LeBron has been working hard to prepare for the grind. As part of his ramp-up process, he practiced with the South Bay Lakers, where he reported feeling “great” in his first five-on-five action. The four-time champion averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game on 51.3 percent shooting last season.
Meanwhile, Gabe Vincent has not played since October, and his extended absence leaves the Lakers vulnerable in the backcourt. He was given a two-week recovery timeline and is progressing well toward a return.
Lakers rookie Adou Thiero has been even more limited this season. He did not play at all in Summer League and has barely practiced as he recovers from surgery to repair a left knee hyperextension he sustained last season at Arkansas. He was recently cleared for additional on-court activities this month, and now he is approaching his debut.
Notably, both Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are missing from the injury report after recently missing games. After combining for thirty-two points in the blowout loss to Oklahoma City on Wednesday, there was some concern that at least one of them would miss Friday’s game. Fortunately, they are both set to play and help the Lakers achieve their ninth win of the season.
At fifth in the standings, Los Angeles has emerged as early contenders in the West, right behind the Thunder, Nuggets, Rockets, and Spurs. With Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves leading the way, they have been one of the early success stories this season.
Still, to keep up their current pace, the Lakers will need some major reinforcements. Now that they are finally getting healthier, they should play closer to their true potential. But until LeBron returns, we will not know the true extent of what this group is capable of.
If the Lakers can weather the storm without LeBron, it will speak volumes about their depth and resilience. But the real test is still ahead. With a slate of tough games on deck and playoff expectations already looming, this stretch could end up defining their season.
