LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Lakers came into their showdown against the LA Clippers a little short-handed with four key rotation players sidelined in Austin Reaves, Deandre Ayton, Rui Hachimura and Gabe Vincent, due to injury. Reaves, Ayton and Hachimura have been starters while Vincent is key bench player. But prior to Saturday’s game, Lakers head coach JJ Redick seemed optimistic that the Lakers would get reinforcements soon.
“I can’t commit to timelines here. A guy wakes up and says, ‘something’s wrong with me.’ Then we got to deal with it,” Redick said. “DA and Austin are progressing, we hope to have them back soon. Rui, this is a new issue that popped up post-Utah game, and we’re targeting, or saying it’s three to five days.”
Reaves has been out the longest having been sidelined following the Lakers’ NBA Cup Quarterfinal loss to the San Antonio Spurs back on Dec. 10. Ayton and Vincent popped up on the Lakers’ injury report prior to the Jazz game. And then Hachimura was the most recent addition to the report having been downgraded the day before the Clippers game.
For the most part, the Lakers have not had a fully healthy lineup since the season began. There’s been about one to two key guys out pretty much each game. Despite the absences, the Lakers have still managed to be among the top teams in the Western Conference with a record of 19-7. That’s currently good enough for the No. 4 seed in the West, and a mere half game behind the Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets.
For JJ Redick, the Lakers’ early overall success stems from sticking to the game plan despite the various injuries.
“Just manage the game and play with the right spirit,” Redick said. “By and large, we’ve done that throughout the season.”
Following the Clippers game, the Lakers will travel to Phoenix to take on the Suns on Dec. 23, before returning home for a three-game stand to ring in the New Year.
