L.A. is hoping for its first win in three games tonight.
Tonight, your Los Angeles Lakers are hoping to get back into the winners’ circle as they host the visiting Charlotte Hornets at Crypto.com Arena.
The 13-18 Lakers have had a rough go of it themselves, having lost both their last two games by double digits with All-NBA center Anthony Davis absent. It was announced today that Davis has suffered a stress injury in his right foot, and would be unavailable to suit up in the purple and gold indefinitely. Subsequent reporting suggested that L.A. is apparently cautiously optimistic that AD will be able to rest the foot for the next 7-10 days and then return to the hardwood for Los Angeles without needing to undergo a surgery to correct the ailment.
Either way, Anthony Davis isn’t walking through that door tonight. Backup forward Juan Toscano-Anderson also remains out.
Two recently-absent Lakers guards are coming back, though!
$47.1 million Sixth Man of the Year candidate Russell Westbrook will be available for L.A. after having missed the team’s last two contests with a sore left foot. Mike Trudell of Lakers.com reports that reserve shooting guard Austin Reaves (who should probably getting the starting nod over Patrick Beverley, given that Reaves is bigger and can actually shoot) is set to return to the lineup after suffering a right ankle sprain Sunday in the Lakers’ last win, a 119-117 victory over the Washington Wizards.
All-Star power forward LeBron James, who had previously been listed as merely “probable” to play with that pesky sore left ankle, is also going to suit up for the club, Trudell adds. James did play in Wednesday’s disappointing 134-120 Sacramento Kings loss, so this comes as less of a surprise, though it’s a bit disconcerting he has been listed with this lingering issue every game.
On the Hornets side, Charlotte is missing Cody Martin (recovering from a left knee surgery), while key rotation guards Terry Rozier (right hip contusion) and Dennis Smith Jr. (sprained left ankle) are both officially questionable.
