Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura will miss his second consecutive game due to a left eye contusion. The Lakers also announced that he is out and that guard Gabe Vincent is doubtful with left knee soreness for Wednesday night’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Hachimura suffered his injury on Sunday night in the Lakers’ overtime loss to the Sacramento Kings. There was hope he would be able to return against the Clippers after sitting out Monday’s victory over the Orlando Magic, but the injury hasn’t healed enough just yet.
Vincent’s issue is a new one but is the second minor injury he has dealt with so far this year. During the preseason, he sat out multiple games due to lower back tightness, but was ready to go once the regular season began. His likely absence could allow Darvin Ham to give someone else a shot in the rotation.
With Hachimura out on Monday, Ham shortened his rotation, playing just four players off the bench in Vincent, Cam Reddish, Christian Wood and Jaxson Hayes. Assuming Vincent is out, Austin Reaves will likely take over some more of the primary playmaking duties, particularly with the second unit.
The most likely option to get some minutes in the backcourt would be second-year guard Max Christie. Many believed he would be part of the rotation to begin the season, but Ham has gone with Cam Reddish in that role and Christie has barely touched the court in the first four games. The other potential option would be second-round pick Maxwell Lewis, though that would be far less likely.
Christie isn’t a direct replacement for Vincent as he is not a traditional point guard, but his defensive ability and improved shooting that he showed during Summer League could be a positive addition to the Lakers lineup overall.
The good news is that these injuries to Vincent and Hachimura are minor and both should be back on the court for the Lakers very soon.
Gabe Vincent trusts that Lakers’ 3-pointers will start falling
One area that Vincent and other additions were expected to help the Lakers in was their 3-point shooting. During the preseason the Lakers were a much improved perimeter shooting team, but so far that hasn’t shown itself in the regular season as they are shooting under 30% as a team. But Vincent believes that will change and the shots will start falling.
“They will, in time. I trust that they will,” Vincent said. “Guys are continuing to put work in, myself included. It’s 50/50 when it leaves your hands at the end of the day, you know what I mean?”
Vincent himself has struggled more than anyone, knocking down just one of his 14 3-pointers this season. He and others turning that around and being at least league average shooters will do wonders for the Lakers’ offense.
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