The Los Angeles Lakers’ two-game road trip concludes on Friday with a matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies, and the team may receive some much-needed reinforcements on the court. On Thursday afternoon, the Lakers listed both Luka Doncic and Marcus Smart as questionable on the injury report for the game.
Friday’s game will mark the Lakers’ first NBA Cup game of the season. As of Friday morning, the NBA’s official injury report still listed Doncic and Smart as questionable.
In Doncic’s case, he has been dealing with two injuries—a finger injury and a leg injury—that have kept him out of the Lakers’ last three games. He seemingly suffered a groin injury during the season-opening loss to the Golden State Warriors but initially brushed it off as a non-issue following the game.
Despite the injury concern, Doncic was able to play during the team’s win against the Minnesota Timberwolves on October 24, where he poured in a season-high 49 points. The full extent of his injuries was revealed prior to the Lakers’ game against the Sacramento Kings last Sunday.
Without Doncic in the lineup, the Lakers have gone 2-1. Austin Reaves has stepped up in a big way during this stretch, scoring a career-high 51 points in the win against the Kings. He followed that performance with 41 points in a loss to the Portland Trail Blazers and then capped it off with a game-winning shot against the Wolves on Wednesday.
While the Lakers have remained competitive and played well without Doncic, having the All-Star guard back would provide a significant boost, especially for a team that has been short on ball-handlers lately. LeBron James has yet to make his season debut due to a nerve injury, and both Marcus Smart (quad) and Gabe Vincent (ankle) have been sidelined since Sunday’s game against the Kings.
In the two games Doncic has played this season, he has averaged an impressive 46.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, 8.5 assists, and 1.0 steals per game. His shooting splits stand at 62% from the field, 31.8% from three-point range, and 79.3% from the free-throw line.
The Lakers will be hoping that both Doncic and Smart can take the court on Friday to strengthen their chances against the Memphis Grizzlies as their road trip comes to a close.
https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-playing-grizzlies-latest-injury-report
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