The Los Angeles Lakers are suddenly as banged up as they've been all season — and that's saying something. At least according to their length injury report for their road game against the Charlotte Hornets on Friday, the second leg of a back-to-back. Four starters: LeBron James (left knee soreness/effusion), Anthony Davis (right wrist soreness), Russell Westbrook (right knee soreness) and Avery Bradley (stomach illness) are listed as questionable.
Malik Monk is out with left groin soreness. Obviously, Kendrick Nunn remains out with a knee bone bruise. Just look at this:
Just logged back on to see one of the noisiest injury reports of the Lakers season for the Hornets game tonight – the 2nd leg of a B2B.
LeBron, AD, Russ, and Avery Bradley are questionable. (Russ hasn’t missed a game all season.)
Malik Monk is out. pic.twitter.com/ZxWWKTt9oC
— Michael Corvo (@michaelcorvoNBA) January 28, 2022
A few of these designations are not wholly surprising. LeBron James missed Thursday's loss to the Philadelphia 76ers after waking up with knee soreness. Lakers head coach Frank Vogel called him “literally day-to-day.”
Davis — in his second game back from a 17-game absence due to an MCL sprain in his left knee — fell on his wrist during the first half of the Sixers game. Despite outplaying Joel Embiid, AD admitted his wrist was sore and bothersome late in the game, and he didn't commit to playing on Friday. He got an X-ray during the game, which came back negative.
The inclusions of Westbrook, Monk, and Bradley were unforeseen. Westbrook has not missed a game since joining the Lakers.
Monk will miss his first game back in Charlotte, where he spent the first four seasons of his NBA career.
The schedule is undeniably relevant here. Not only will Los Angeles be playing for the second night in a row (with the short trip from Philly to Charlotte in between), but they'll be playing their fifth road game in seven days. They finish up their East Coast swing with a matchup vs. the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.
Vogel is set to address the media 90 minutes before tip-off (about 3 p.m. PT), so we should get more information then.
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