Reports have just confirmed that Kyle Kuzma will be unavailable on Thursday when his Los Angeles Lakers take on the Miami Heat. Kuz adds to a long list of injuries for the defending champs, that is currently headlined by their superstar duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
This report comes via ESPN's Dave McMenamin:
Kuzma had a MRI on Thursday afternoon that confirmed a Grade 1 calf strain, per Vogel. https://t.co/dvo4O4gKMd
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 8, 2021
This is another tough blow for the Lakers, who themselves have been absolutely decimated by injuries of late. It was also earlier reported that Talen Horton-Tucker will not be suiting up against the Heat as he serves a league-mandated suspension for his involvement in Tuesday's scuffle against the Toronto Raptors.
As for Kuzma, the 25-year-old reportedly experienced discomfort in his hamstring during shootaround. He then had an MRI done, which unfortunately, confirmed that he had suffered a Grade 1 strain. Hamstring issues can be problematic, and it will not be surprising if Kuzma ends up missing a handful of games because of this injury.
The good news for the Lakers is that new signing Andre Drummond will be available to play on Thursday. The 6-foot-10 big man will need to carry much of the load for the Lakers against the Heat, along with guys like Dennis Schroder and Montrezl Harrell.
Needless to say, it's going to be a tough few weeks ahead for the Purple & Gold as they look to navigate their succeeding games without their key players. Entering Thursday's contest, LA has now fallen to the sixth spot in the West and is now six games behind the top-seeded Utah Jazz.
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