The Los Angeles Lakers will need an entire team effort if they plan defeating the Houston Rockets in the first round of the NBA playoffs without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. But the Lakers have also been dealing with injuries to other key role players, such as Marcus Smart and Jaxson Hayes.
Smart was able to return from his left ankle contusion for the final two games of the season, but Hayes missed the last four games with a left foot injury. But the center was able to return to practice on Tuesday, ahead of Game 1 on Saturday night, and Hayes said he is feeling good for the playoff opener.
“Feeling a lot better,” he said. “It was nice getting a few days off, especially with my job I jump a lot and run a lot. So it’s hard for me to rest something like that. So getting those days off was much-needed, very helpful.”
Hayes also explained how his foot injury came to be.
“It was a bit of accumulation over the years. Seven years of jumping around the NBA at seven-foot isn’t gonna be the best,” Hayes added.
Ultimately though, this was never an issue that was gonna keep him out of playoff action.
“I was gonna play no matter what,” Hayes said. “I wasn’t worried about that. If I was hurting, I would be playing and if I wasn’t hurting, I would be playing.”
Hayes being healthy and good to go for the playoffs is extremely important for the Lakers, especially against a team like the Rockets. Houston is known for playing a physical style of ball and using their size to control the paint and the boards. Having Hayes with all of his energy off the bench gives head coach JJ Redick another option to combat that.
Hayes has thrived as the primary backup center for the Lakers this season. The big man understands his role as a rim-runner and rim protector on defense. He has developed excellent chemistry with the Lakers’ playmakers, regularly catching lobs at the rim and bringing the crowd to their feet with his monster dunks and has often times finished games ahead of Deandre Ayton.
The Lakers are in a tough spot being without their two leading scorers so they will have to play a different style in order to take down the Rockets. They don’t have their normal offensive firepower so the effort and energy can’t afford to drop at all and Hayes is someone who will ensure that won’t happen.
Lakers center Deandre Ayton looking forward to physical matchup with Rockets
Hayes’ fellow center is also well aware of what is in store for the Lakers in this first round meeting with the Rockets as they will be forced to deal with All-Star Alperen Sengun and the always active Clint Capela down low. And Ayton is looking forward to what he expects will be a very physical series.
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