The Los Angeles Lakers will be missing several key players, including Luka Doncic (left hamstring strain), LeBron James (left foot arthritis), Austin Reaves (left calf injury management), and Marcus Smart (right ankle soreness), as reported by Khobi Price of the California Post. Starting center Deandre Ayton is listed as questionable due to right knee soreness.
LeBron James’ absence stands out, marking the 18th game he has missed this season. He will not meet the 65-game requirement needed for eligibility for end-of-season awards.
This season, James averaged 21.8 points, 6.9 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game while shooting at 50.2%. Although his stats are lower than in previous years, they still earned him an All-Star selection. Had he remained healthy, he might have been in contention for All-NBA honors while helping the Lakers secure a playoff spot.
Due to various injuries, including sciatica that caused him to miss the first 14 games, James’ streak of 21 consecutive All-NBA selections will end this year.
The depleted Lakers aim to recover after their recent 119-110 loss at home to the Thunder, who were without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. LeBron James mentioned in a postgame interview that the result highlighted how far the Lakers are from being serious title contenders.
“That’s a championship team right there; we’re not,” James said. “We can’t sustain energy and effort for 48 minutes, but they can. That’s why they won a championship.”