LeBron James and Rui Hachimura will likely be available for the Los Angeles Lakers’ showdown against the Indiana Pacers.
The Los Angeles Lakers are looking to hold their ground in the West, and that means doing everything they can to crack their three-game losing streak. Fortunately, the Lakers’ injury report has been revealed for tomorrow’s game against the Indiana Pacers, and it’s good news for the Purple and Gold.
In the Lakers’ latest availability update (via Jovan Buha), Rui Hachimura and LeBron James are listed as probable, while Maxi Kleber is out with a right foot injury. Bronny James will also not be available as he’s currently with the South Bay Lakers.
After a 12-point loss to the Orlando Magic on Monday, the Lakers are desperate to get back on the right track and avoid slipping any further down the standings. Guys have been in and out of the lineup for weeks, but they are hoping to have everyone available against the Pacers tomorrow.
Rui Hachimura made his long-awaited return against the Magic, but it seems he’s still in the recovery process and is not yet 100%. Left patellar tendinopathy can take anywhere from two to nine months to heal, and Rui may need to stay on a restricted schedule until he’s back to full strength.
At 40 years old, any injury to LeBron is going to be taken with an abundance of caution, but they believe LeBron James will be healthy enough to play. After suffering a left groin strain earlier this month, James was out of the lineup for weeks, but he finally made his return on Monday in the loss.
While LeBron dropped 24 points, six rebounds, and seven assists in the game, fans noticed that he wasn’t quite right, and if he’s feeling off tomorrow morning, the Lakers could still decide to sit him at the last minute. He’s averaging 24.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 8.4 assists per game on 51.6% shooting.
Regarding the situation with Maxi Kleber, nobody knows when we’ll see him again. His return would be huge for the Lakers, considering their thin frontcourt, but he’s not ready for action yet as he recovers from the foot surgery he had back in January.
Finally, there’s Bronny James. The young king is perfectly healthy by all accounts, but he’s currently traveling with the South Bay Lakers. James has been in and out of the G-League all season for increased reps, and he just had his best game of the season with a stat line of 39 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and four steals on 14-of-21 shooting from the field.
The Lakers should be at full strength for the upcoming back-to-back against the Pacers on Wednesday and the Bulls on Friday. At 43-28 this season, they’ve been good when healthy, and they are hoping to avoid any injuries that will disrupt their momentum.
With 11 games left to play, the NBA playoffs are right around the corner, and now is the time for the Lakers to get right. With LeBron James and Luka Doncic leading the way, Los Angeles should be poised for a strong finish this year, and they will not take it lightly.