The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Los Angeles Clippers last night, capping off a fabulous February. However, the victory did not come without some concerns. A few players left the game with injuries, and fans have been anxiously awaiting updates. Rui Hachimura was already ruled out of Friday’s matchup with a left knee strain. The sixth-year player has been a solid role player for the team, providing size as well as shooting. On Saturday, the team got an update on his injury, and fans can breathe a sigh of relief.
Los Angeles Lakers Rui Hachimura Injury Update
The good news is that Rui Hachimura avoided serious injury. After the victory against the Clippers, head coach JJ Redick revealed the former Gonzaga product had been diagnosed with patella tendinopathy. He will be reevaluated in one week, meaning he will miss a few games. There is no guarantee that he will be back in one week. It all depends on how the injury feels and how Hachimura feels about playing on the injury. Redick praised him, saying he will not be easy to replace.
“(We miss) 34 minutes of playing time of a guy who plays really well on both ends and has done a really good job of executing our schemes defensively. I think his ability to space, crash, punish smaller defenders, cut. We’re gonna miss him on both ends of the floor.”
The Los Angeles Lakers’ latest hot streak is due to Hachimura’s strong play. In the past 11 games, he has averaged 17.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.5 three-point field goals. While the Lakers will undoubtedly be led by the scoring of Luka Doncic and LeBron James, quality role players are needed to fill in the gaps. Dorian Finney-Smith will take over his spot in the starting lineup and play more minutes until he is ready to come back.
More Injury Concerns
Rui Hachimura isn’t the only injury concern. Austin Reaves left the game last night with a calf injury. He will be further evaluated to see the severity of the injury. Reaves is another player who has been solid for the team as a third option and often steps up when one of the stars has to miss time. If he has to miss time, the Lakers will be very short-handed. It is a shame since the team has been surging lately and is now fourth in the Western Conference.
The defense was elite in the month of February. Defense is often about continuity, and if major pieces are missing, the defense could take a step back. Redick will need to change his rotations and find the right combinations of players to continue winning. They are one game back from the two-seed in the conference. If this team is able to get home-court advantage through a majority of the playoffs, that would be huge.
Final Thoughts
The Los Angeles Lakers have been one of the hottest teams in the league and also one of the healthiest. The latter has started to not be the case. Can the Lakers continue their dominance with some of their key players out?
