The Los Angeles Lakers will kick off their regular season against the Golden State Warriors on October 18. They may be doing so without some very important players. Here is the Lakers injury report heading into the regular season.
Anthony Davis
Lakers star Anthony Davis missed three out of the teams six preseason games due to a back injury. He has been dealing with this injury since the beginning of training camp.
The team announced that he would sit out during Friday’s final preseason game. According to the team, the decision was made to bench him, because he was still feeling tightness in his lower back.
He is expected to start in Tuesday night’s regular season opener.
Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook only played five minutes during Friday’s preseason finale before leaving due to a hamstring injury. His current status is listed as day-to-day.
Once Westbrook is cleared to play, he is expected to come off the bench and lead the team’s second unit. His status and role with the team has been in question for months now. Head coach Darvin Ham expressed that this move was “not a demotion” but instead, “a realignment”.
Dennis Schroder
Dennis Schroder injured his finger during Friday night’s game. He is currently listed as day-to-day, and is questionable to play on Tuesday.
Schroder missed all of training camp, and four out of the six preseason games, due to visa issues. He returned home to Germany to play for the national team during the NBA offseason. While trying to reenter the U.S, he learned of his visa troubles. He had to remain in Germany until the issues were sorted out. After weeks of waiting, Schroder was finally able to rejoin the Lakers last weekend.
Troy Brown Jr
Troy Brown Jr missed all six preseason games due to a lingering back injury. He is currently listed as day-to-day, but is not expected to play on Tuesday.
The Laker signed Brown to a one year veteran minimum contract during the offseason. Brown played 66 games for the Chicago Bulls last season.
Lonnie Walker IV
Lonnie Walker IV did not play in Friday’s game due to an ankle injury. He is also listed as day-to-day.
Like Davis, the team held Walker out of Friday’s game as precautionary measures.
Outlook
With a grueling 82-game season ahead of them, the Lakers need to stay as healthy as possible. It is very common for teams to bench players with minor injuries during the preseason to minimize the chance of aggravating the injury before the regular season.
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Featured image credit Adam Pantozzi/ Getty Images
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