The Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns will both be short-handed for their matchup on Monday, as LeBron James and Devin Booker are among the players set to miss the contest.
James will miss the game due to left ankle soreness. The Lakers will also be without Austin Reaves, who’s dealing with a sprained right ankle.
Lakers say LeBron James (left ankle soreness), Austin Reaves (right ankle sprain) and Anthony Davis (right foot soreness) are out tonight at Phoenix. Patrick Beverley (right calf soreness) is questionable.
— Brad Turner (@BA_Turner) December 19, 2022
Booker will reportedly sit out Monday’s game due to goin soreness.
Devin Booker (groin soreness) OUT. #Suns
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) December 19, 2022
With Anthony Davis out of the Lakers lineup indefinitely, the team is going to have to get wins where it can if there is any hope of keeping the goal of returning to the playoffs alive.
Booker’s absence certainly helps the Lakers’ chances in the game. However, without James, Reaves and Davis on Monday, the task will probably be pretty difficult.
Things are not looking great for L.A. with Davis out of the lineup. He was playing like a man possessed and even getting some MVP consideration recently.
Sadly, Davis’ inability to stay healthy has bitten the Lakers once again. His latest injury is just the most recent in a long line of troubling ones for Davis. He hasn’t played in more than 40 games since the 2019-20 campaign.
In light of Davis’ injury, the Lakers’ entire season hangs in the balance. Prior to the injury, the team was giving its front office a lot of proof that it might be worth it to trade the team’s 2027 and 2029 first-round picks in an attempt to add premier talent and challenge for a title.
It’s hard to see the Lakers being even close to a .500 team with Davis potentially out of the lineup until the middle of January or beyond.
On the season, Davis is averaging 27.4 points, 12.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game. It’s basically impossible for the team to replace that kind of production.
However, the Lakers were able to win their first full game without Davis on Sunday night. In that game, they beat the Washington Wizards in a 119-117 thriller.
The Lakers have won 11 of their last 17 games, with two of their losses coming in overtime. The tide has definitely been turning in L.A. following a truly disastrous start to the season. Sadly, with Davis now out, it simply cannot be assumed that all of that recent momentum will continue.
Nevertheless, the Lakers have a chance to prove that the momentum can continue with a win over the Suns on Monday.
