The Los Angeles Lakers are set to take on the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. The Lakers and Knicks sit 5th and 3rd in their respective conferences ahead of the game. And even though they have similar records overall, the Lakers’ away record this season will concern fans. Especially without Anthony Davis backing up LeBron James and co. on Saturday.
The Lakers are 11-13 in away games this season. Moreover, they were beaten soundly in their last trip to the East Coast, 118-104 by the Philadelphia 76ers. So, let’s take a look at the injury report submitted by the Lakers and see where that puts them heading into MSG.
Lakers vs Knicks Injury Report – will LeBron James play at the Madison Square Garden on Saturday?
Let’s start with some good news first. LeBron James and Rui Hachimura both appear on the injury report listed as PROBABLE. However, this was also the case for their last game against the Wizards. But both of them ended up playing for 25+ minutes, scoring a combined 46 points.
Lakers injury report for tomorrow pic.twitter.com/J77wVPfAaO
— Trevor Lane (@Trevor_Lane) January 31, 2025
Here is the full injury report for the Purple and Gold:
Anthony Davis – OUT (Abdominal; Muscle Strain)
Dorian Finney-Smith – QUESTIONABLE (Right Shoulder; Contusion)
Rui Hachimura – PROBABLE (Left Calf; Soreness)
Jalen Hood-Schifino – OUT (Left Hamstring; Strain)
LeBron James – PROBABLE (Left Knee; Injury Management)
Gabe Vincent – QUESTIONABLE (Left Knee; Contusion)
Christian Wood – OUT( Left Knee; Surgery Recovery)
Anthony Davis is set to be re-evaluated in the coming few days. Still recovering from his shoulder injury, Dorian Finney-Smith is in danger of missing yet another game for the Lakers after his singing late last year. In a similar vein, Gabe Vincent, who also missed the Wizards game may miss yet another game as he nurses his injured knee. Finally, the duo of Jalen Hood-Schifino and Christian Wood continue their prolonged absence as they recover gameday fitness.
As for the Lakers’ opponents, they fare slightly better in the injury department. Forward Josh Hart risks missing the Lakers game as he remains QUESTIONABLE for Saturday with soreness in his right knee. Youngster Pacome Dadiet along with Mitchell Robinson will miss out on playing the Lakers altogether. The duo is OUT of the Lakers game recovering from a sprained toe and ankle surgery respectively.
Fans of both teams have endured much worse injury reports in recent history. So, they will be hoping that more players aren’t added to the report once the game concludes. Regardless, let’s see how both teams may line up on Saturday.
Lakers vs Knicks – predicted starting lineup and depth chart
The Lakers will greatly miss the contributions of Anthony Davies on the court. Especially given how well his Knicks counterpart, Karl-Anthony Towns is playing. LeBron James in particular will miss his partner-in-crime. Nevertheless, here’s how they may look against the Knicks this Saturday.
POSITION
STARTER
2ND UNIT
3RD UNIT
PG
Austin Reaves
Shake Milton
Bronnt James
SG
Max Christie
Dalton Knecht
Shake Milton
SF
Rui Hachimura (DD)
Dalton Knecht
Cam Reddish
PF
LeBron James (DD)
Jarred Vanderbilt
Cam Reddish
C
Jaxson Hayes
Trey Jemison III
Christian Koloko
Apart from Josh Hart, the Knicks aren’t missing any key players. With a mostly healthy squad, here’s how the Knicks may line up against JJ Redick’s side:
POSITION
STARTER
2ND UNIT
3RD UNIT
PG
Jalen Brunson
Cameron Payne
Miles McBride
SG
Mikal Bridges
Miles McBride
Landry Shamet
SF
Landry Shamet
Mikal Bridges
OG Anunoby
PF
OG Anunoby
Precious Achiuwa
Mikal Bridges
C
Karl-Anthony Towns
Precious Achiuwa
Jericho Sims
In stark contrast with the chilly January weather in New York City, the atmosphere within MSG will surely be red hot. With the storied rivalry between these legendary teams of the East and West Coast, we as fans are in for a treat! So let us know, who you think comes out on top on Saturday.
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