The Los Angeles Lakers again won’t have Lonzo Ball (left knee contusion), Brandon Ingram (concussion) or Kyle Kuzma (sprained left ankle) for against the Houston Rockets for penultimate game of the 2018 season.
Ball is missing a seventh consecutive game, while Ingram misses his sixth in a row, and Kuzma a second. Ingram was going through drills during Tuesday’s shootaround in what was the final step of the NBA’s concussion protocol.
The Lakers plan to re-evaluate him, though the second-year forward must be asymptomatic for 24 hours in order to gain clearance from an independent doctor. Thus, it would appear unlikely Ingram plays in the season finale on Wednesday.
Similarly, the last update Lakers head coach Luke Walton provided on Ball was the rookie point guard was experiencing some discomfort in his left knee. Walton added he would not be keen on playing Ball or Ingram even if they were to gain medical clearance, because of their time missed and where the Lakers are in the season.
Odds may also be against Kuzma returning to play against the Clippers. He was pushing through a sprained right ankle suffered in March, which makes the injury to his left ankle all the more difficult to overcome.
In addition to Ball, Ingram and Kuzma, the Lakers are without Isaiah Thomas as he recovers from hip surgery. Thus, robbing the team of their top four playmakers. G League veteran Andre Ingram was signed for the remaining two games to provide Walton with much-needed depth.
Ingram is expected to make his NBA debut on Tuesday.