The Los Angeles Lakers are up against a familiar foe tonight. They will be locking horns against their crosstown rivals, the Los Angeles Clippers in a heated affair. The Lakers have been on a roll lately winning four straight games and 40-year-old LeBron James has his handprints all over their recent success.
James put in a stellar performance last night, scoring 33 points and grabbing 17 rebounds in the win against Minnesota. However, the game might have taken a toll on the veteran superstar. With two minutes left on the clock in the fourth quarter of the game, James appeared to be limping and grabbed his right hamstring following a layup attempt. So, is King James fit to play tonight?
Los Angeles Lakers injury report before Clippers showdown at the Crypto.com Arena
The Lakers are playing in the second leg of their back-to-back tonight and there’s a big question mark over their superstar’s fitness. Lakers veteran LeBron James suffered a minor setback in the contest against Minnesota. After the game, he told the reporters that his hamstring was “straight”. However, his status is still unclear ahead of tip-off. It has been a reoccurring trend since November when he picked up a left foot injury.
LeBron James (injury management) said he’s uncertain to play on Friday.
— Underdog NBA (@Underdog__NBA) February 28, 2025
James has been a game-day decision several times since the foot injury. That will be the case for tonight as well. The Lakers have suffered in James’ absence and he notably has been solid against the Clippers and boasts a 27-20 record against them. So far, the No. 23 has been phenomenal averaging 24.9 points, along with eight rebounds and 8.7 assists per game. His presence will certainly boost LA’s chances of grabbing a win tonight.
Moreover, James’ fitness becomes even more important because newly acquired superstar Luka Doncic is also reportedly questionable. According to reports, the Slovenian point guard took a knee-to-knee blow. While it’s nothing serious, Doncic might not play in tonight’s matchup due to this. This could be unfortunate given that Doncic is starting to look like a real threat on the court and not having him or LeBron might be a huge blow for LA.
Additionally, forward Rui Hachimura suffered a left knee strain and won’t play tonight. Hachimura has been solid this season and stepped up whenever needed. Lastly, Maxi Kleber is recovering from surgery on his right foot and will be re-evaluated in eight weeks.
On the flip side, their opponents, the Clippers could be without Trentyn Flowers and Norman Powell. Both of whom are questionable for the game. Powell is the Clippers’ leader in scoring averaging 24.2 points and his absence could work in the Lakers’ favor. Speaking of which, let’s see how the Lakers adapt after being hard-hit by injuries.
How can the Lakers line up amid their injury woes?
With uncertainty over LeBron James and Luka Doncic’s fitness, head coach JJ Redick will have a lot to think about before tip-off. While LA could be without two of their biggest names, there are some positives as well. Big man Jaxson Hayes also suffered a blow in the last game but is fit to play tonight. Also, shooting guard Austin Reaves has been firing on all cylinders and is having a career-high season averaging 19.3 points. He will look to make an impact tonight.
Here’s how the Lakers can suit up tonight:
Positions
Starters
PG
Luka Doncic (questionable)
SG
Austin Reaves
SF
Dorian Finney-Smith
PF
LeBron James (questionable)
C
Jaxson Hayes
Overall, the Lakers could be in a tough spot if both James and Doncic are unfit. However, that’s highly unlikely given the injuries are not that worrisome. So, the Lakers should be comfortable against James Harden and Co. who’ve recently bounced back to winning ways after losing three straight matchups. Enough said, we’ll have to wait and watch as we near tip-off in Los Angeles.
The post Is LeBron James Playing Tonight vs the Clippers? Lakers Injury Report as the 40YO Grabbed His Hamstring on National TV appeared first on EssentiallySports.
