The Los Angeles Lakers released their injury report for their Christmas Day matchup with the Houston Rockets and Luka Doncic (lower left leg contusion) and Jaxson Hayes (left ankle soreness) are questionable while Rui Hachimura (right groin soreness) is probable and Gabe Vincent (lumbar back strain) remains out.
After missing the team’s blowout loss to the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night, Doncic appears ready to return on Christmas Day for the big matchup with the Rockets while reports indicating he will play. He was hit in the leg in the first half against the L.A. Clippers and missed the rest of that game as well, although the injury was not reported to be serious.
The same can be said for Hachimura, who missed the last two games with a groin issue. The Lakers have been shorthanded all year and have been able to manage, but they dropped back-to-back games for the first time this season without Hachimura and Doncic in the lineup.
While the hope is that both will be back against Houston, the Lakers have proceeded with caution when it comes to injuries and that likely will not change here with Doncic and Hachimura if they are not 100%.
Meanwhile, Vincent will miss at least one more game with his back injury while Hayes’ status is up in the air. Hayes tweaked his ankle late in the Lakers’ loss to the Suns and was not able to return.
Considering Houston is one of the biggest teams in the league and excels on the offensive glass, the Lakers will need as many big bodies as possible to help combat that. If Hayes is unable to play then the Lakers would likely turn to Maxi Kleber as the primary backup to Deandre Ayton.
Austin Reaves felt good in return to action for Lakers
One player the Lakers recently got back in the lineup is Austin Reaves after missing three games with a calf strain. He was on a minutes restriction against the Suns but said he came out of it feeling good and was able to find a rhythm after being rusty to start.
“I was pretty tired the first couple of minutes but after that it felt good… I thought I caught a decent rhythm in the second quarter too, getting to the rim. But it’s gonna take time,” Reaves said after the game.
With Reaves and potentially Doncic and Hachimura back, the Lakers should have enough offensive firepower to make up for their defensive deficiencies.
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