The Lakers have been facing a great deal of injury-related issues these last few seasons. They had amazing players on their roster. But none of them could play together for a long time in the lineup. It looks like the Lakers are having good news and bad news around the same time. Throughout the current season, the Lakers were having trouble with the balance of the roster.
After the February trade deadline was over, they got a near-perfect deal. The Lakers looked like a team to watch out for. And with comparatively easy remaining games, it was all good news for the fans. Until injuries kept creeping in and destroying the mood. Especially LeBron James’ tendon foot injury was the most upsetting. The return date of King to the lineup is becoming a whole lot more uncertain gradually. But in his absence, Anthony Davis is doing pretty well.
The Lakers Look Set Despite Injury Concerns
To fans’ surprise, AD helped the team climb from the 11th seed to the 9th seed in the Western Conference. Hence, they are currently in a play-in spot. But the Lakers would like to capitalize on that and try to reach the top six. Moreover, the latest information suggests that their new recruit D’Angelo Russell who missed a lot of games due to sprained ankle, will be returning against the Raptors. After his injury, Russell has missed six games already.
On the other hand, Mo Bamba, who joined the team along with Russell, is also out with sprained foot injury. There is still no confirmed information as to when will he return to the lineup. Clearly, the Lakers have a great chance to confirm their place in the playoffs, but they will need to hold onto the winning streak. Anthony Davis, a long time back, mentioned that all they need is a streak to progress to the playoffs.
How Will The Lineup Look After Russell Returns?
There is a chance that the Lakers may have to make do with no LeBron James for the remaining season. So Coach Darvin Ham and the management have to take extra precautions for the players to prevent further injury concerns. Meanwhile, after D’Angelo Russell comes back to the lineup, the question comes up which position he will play? When he was gone, Austin Reeves, Dennis Schroder, and so on players helped the team win pretty well. Hence the question is, who will sit out after Russell is back? With the Timberwolves, D’Angelo was most successful in scoring. But after he joined the Lakers, he played the role of an assist more.
Hence Darvin Ham will have to figure out how he wants to use Russell in the lineup. But the fans and the front office will still be concerned about Bamba’s recovery. He is missing a lot of games after he sprained his ankle. Mo will need another week or two, perhaps, to return to the lineup. When he is back, if the Lakers keep doing well from here onwards will create more confusion in Ham’s head. But the head coach of the Lakers won’t mind if that helps the team to make the playoffs. The Los Angeles franchise is in 9th place in the Western Conference with a 32-34 win-loss ratio.
