The Los Angeles Lakers received a somewhat encouraging update regarding center Deandre Ayton after he exited Thursday's 120-113 loss against the Denver Nuggets with a knee issue.
Ayton's night lasted just five minutes, during which the 7-footer collected two rebounds and missed his only field-goal attempt before heading to the locker room. The Lakers did not immediately rule him out, but he ultimately did not return.
After the game, head coach JJ Redick confirmed that Ayton's early departure was caused by left knee soreness, though the exact severity of the problem remains unclear. Without their starting center, Redick adjusted the rotation by giving extended minutes to Jaxson Hayes and deploying several small-ball lineups.
Hayes took advantage of the opportunity, producing 19 points, five rebounds, and two assists in 27 minutes, while shooting 8-for-10 from the field. Los Angeles outscored Denver by seven points while Hayes was on the floor.
Ayton has been a regular presence in the lineup this season, starting more games than any other Laker. Over 54 games, he has averaged 12.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, 0.9 assists, and 0.9 blocks while shooting 66.7% from the field. However, injuries have occasionally interrupted his campaign. Of the eight games he has missed, five were related to knee problems, with four tied to right-knee soreness earlier in the season. He also sat out two games before the All-Star break because of that same issue.
Recent performance has also dipped. In the seven games following the All-Star break, the 27-year-old averaged 9.9 points on 61.6% shooting and 7.6 rebounds, a drop from his season production.
Los Angeles' loss came despite LeBron James' historic milestone. The 23-year veteran surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most field goals in NBA regular-season history, recording his 15,838th career basket. James finished with 16 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and three steals, shooting 7-for-11 (63.6%) from the field before leaving the closing moments with elbow discomfort. Luka Doncic contributed 27 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists.
Meanwhile, Nikola Jokic paced the Nuggets, who recorded his 23rd triple-double of the season with 28 points, 12 rebounds, and 13 assists, while Jamal Murray also scored 28 points.
The Lakers, now 37–25, will turn their attention to Friday night's home game against the Indiana Pacers, when Ayton's status should become much clearer.
