Los Angeles Lakers take on the Denver Nuggets on Friday night in what promises to be an exciting matchup. However, the Lakers will be shorthanded once again, as Luka Doncic has been ruled out for the game—joining LeBron James on the injury list.
Following his stellar performance against the Milwaukee Bucks, where he dropped 45 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, Doncic addressed his availability for Friday’s matchup. His response didn’t sound optimistic. “We’ll see. We’ll see on that one,” Doncic said, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
Despite Doncic’s dominance, the Lakers suffered a blowout loss to Milwaukee, 126-106, continuing their struggles against elite competition. With recent defeats to the Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, and now the Bucks, concerns are growing about the team’s ability to compete at a high level.
Los Angeles remains limited in key players, especially without LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, and Jaxson Hayes due to injury. However, the recent NBA defeats are worrying for those who hold out hope for the team’s chances of success.
Doncic officially ruled out vs Nuggets
The Lakers’ latest injury report confirms Doncic’s absence due to left calf injury management and a right ankle sprain. Meanwhile, LeBron James remains sidelined, with Shams Charania reporting that the four-time champion is expected to miss at least another week due to a groin injury.
The Lakers’ injury woes don’t stop there. Rui Hachimura (left patellar tendinopathy), Jaxson Hayes (right knee contusion), and Maxi Kleber (right foot surgery recovery) are also out.
Lakers’ available roster vs. Nuggets
With several key players unavailable, the Lakers’ active roster for Friday’s matchup against Nuggets is expected to include:
- Guards: Austin Reaves, Shake Milton, Jordan Goodwin (two-way), Bronny James
- Forwards: Jarred Vanderbilt, Cam Reddish, Markieff Morris, Dalton Knecht
- Centers: Alex Len, Christian Koloko (two-way)
- Questionable: Trey Jemison (two-way)
- Doubtful: Dorian Finney-Smith (DFS), Gabe Vincent
The Lakers will need a collective effort to stay competitive against one of the contenders for the championship, especially without their two biggest stars on the floor.