JaVale McGee is going to be a game-time decision on Sunday night when the Los Angeles Lakers take on the Sacramento Kings. McGee is dealing with a respiratory infection and has missed the last seven games with a variety of ailments. Mike Bresnahan of Spectrum SportsNet points out that McGee is itching to play on Sunday after remarking that watching games from the sidelines is “extremely boring.”
JaVale McGee (respiratory infection) says he’ll be a game-time decision tonight vs. Sacramento. Went through a full shoot-around this morning.
He said it was “extremely boring” to be on the sidelines while missing seven games. Safe to say he wants to play tonight.
— Mike Bresnahan (@Mike_Bresnahan) December 30, 2018
The Lakers have been sliding without McGee. They're 2-5 in their last seven games and definitely miss McGee's defensive presence in the starting lineup. The center is averaging 2.6 blocks per game and has been a force in the paint all season long.
In addition to JaVale McGee, the Lakers have been without LeBron James for two games due to a groin strain. Furthermore, Rajon Rondo is out once again, but this time he's dealing with a right finger sprain. Rondo's injury required another surgery.
While the veterans are battered and bruised, it's up to the younger Lakers to pick up the slack. On Friday night, the Lakers trotted out a youthful lineup consisting of Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, and Ivica Zubac. This lineup was a Summer League lineup not so long ago. The group held its own against the Los Angeles Clippers, but eventually, the Clippers pulled away in the fourth quarter.
No team wants to deal with injuries, but the Lakers will try and give McGee, James, and Rondo all the time they need to recover. The 20-16 Lakers are in sixth in the Western Conference and sit a mere four games back of the first-place Denver Nuggets. They're in a decent position in the crowded West.
Now they just need to get healthy.
Follow Us
Subscribe