The Los Angeles Lakers have listed Marcus Smart (right ankle contusion), Rui Hachimura (right calf soreness), Deandre Ayton (back soreness) and Adou Thiero (left knee soreness) as out for the team’s contest against the Indiana Pacers.
Smart, Hachimura and Thiero were all previously listed as questionable, but Ayton was a late addition and leaves the Lakers even more shorthanded in the finale of their six-game road trip.
Both Smart and Hachimura missed the Lakers’ contest against the Detroit Pistons, a three-point loss that put an end to their nine-game winning streak. They each suffered an injury in the previous game against the Orlando Magic, with Hachimura exiting early while Smart managed to still finish in the contest.
Ayton is coming off a double-double against the Pistons and has played extremely well over the past couple of weeks as he has embraced his role as a defensive presence and energy big finishing at the rim. In all likelihood, this is something minor for Ayton and the Lakers would rather be cautious and ensure he is healthy moving forward as the postseason is right around the corner.
Theiro began the season still recovering from knee surgery and has continued to deal with soreness throughout the year. The Lakers have maintained extreme caution when it comes to his issues as they don’t want a major setback that could further hinder his development.
Being down three rotation players makes things tougher for the Lakers, even against the Pacers who have the worst record in the NBA. Smart is the team’s tone-setter on defense while Hachimura has been the most consistent 3-point shooter. Additionally Thiero could have been someone JJ Redick gave some minutes to in their absence, as he did throw the rookie out there for a brief spell in the first half in Detroit.
Jake LaRavia and Jaxson Hayes are more than capable of stepping into the starting lineup alongside Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and LeBron James, but the Lakers’ depth is now even further compromised. Luke Kennard is the only regular rotation player off the bench, though veterans Jarred Vanderbilt and Maxi Kleber have both been good when called upon throughout the season. Redick could also look at someone like Kobe Bufkin, Dalton Knecht or even Bronny James should he need a spark in the backcourt.
LeBron James noticed Lakers improved
Down so many players, the Lakers will really need to come together to pick up a win in the last game of this road trip. That has been a strength of this team recently as LeBron James praised the Lakers for the mental toughness and resiliency they showed throughout their win streak, regularly battling back from deficits to pick up victories.
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