Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Josh Hart has been battling a knee injury as of late. According to Tania Ganguli of the Los Angeles Times, he might not be ready to come back quite yet:
Josh Hart didn’t practice today and is questionable for tomorrow’s game.
— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) February 9, 2019
Hart did not dress for Tuesday's blowout loss to the Indiana Pacers and managed less than eight minutes against the Celtics on Thursday due to ongoing knee tendinitis. Lakers coach Luke Walton told Spectrum SportsNet after Tuesday's game that Hart's knee was “killing him.”
In late January, Hart told Kyle Goon of the Southern California News Group that he had been battling back spasms.
After a strong start to the season, Hart's performance has fallen. Between the injuries and inconsistent playing time, Hart has struggled to find a rhythm. Veteran Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has seen increased playing time in Hart's absence.
Even when Hart is healthy, he is unlikely to start often for the Lakers. Their recent trade for Reggie Bullock will likely cause Hart to lose minutes. The 23-year-old doesn't look to be a significant factor for Los Angeles down the stretch.
Hart was drafted by the Utah Jazz in 2017 with the 30th pick of the first round. He was immediately traded to the Lakers. For his career, he has averaged 8.2 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists.
The Lakers are fighting for a playoff spot, currently holding the tenth seed in the competitive Western Conference. They are a game and a half back of the Los Angeles Clippers for a playoff spot. ESPN's BPI Playoff Odds give the team a 17.0% chance of making the playoffs.
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