The Los Angeles Lakers season opener is just one day away, as they host the Los Angeles Clippers Thursday night at Staples Center.
A lot of the focus in the last week has been on getting players that were banged up during the preseason healthy, as Lonzo Ball, Julius Randle, Brandon Ingram, Brook Lopez, Andrew Bogut and Josh Hart have all been dealing with minor injuries.
With just about a week between their final preseason game and the opener though, it appears most of those guys were able to heal their injuries, and according to Lakers Reporter Mike Trudell, Hart, who is dealing with an Achilles bursitis, is the only one in danger of missing the game:
Everybody but Josh Hart (Achilles) participated in full practice today, including Julius Randle. As such, everybody else available vs Clips.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) October 18, 2017
This is really good news for Laker fans as the team will already be without Kentavious Caldwell-Pope for the first two games due to a suspension.
Randle and Bogut were originally listed as inactive for the game, dealing with back and groin injuries, respectively, but after practicing on both Tuesday and Wednesday it appears they are ready to go.
Ball, who suffered a sprained ankle in the team’s second preseason game and missed the rest of the preseason, also said himself that he is definitely playing Thursday, so he will be starting at point guard.
With Hart being listed as questionable, it is possible that he still suits up and plays but with the Lakers beginning the season with three games in four days they likely will be cautious, not wanting to rush back the rookie playing his first 82-game season.
But overall just about everybody being healthy enough to play in the season opener gives head coach Luke Walton plenty of options when putting together his starting lineup and rotations.