The Los Angeles Lakers will be without Marcus Smart, Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton and Adou Thiero when they close a six-game road swing against the Indiana Pacers, the club announced.
Smart (right ankle contusion), Hachimura (right calf soreness) and Thiero (left knee soreness) had been listed as questionable but were downgraded to out. Ayton, sidelined with back soreness, was a late addition to the injury report, leaving Los Angeles even thinner for Tuesday’s matchup in Indianapolis.
Smart and Hachimura already missed Sunday’s three-point loss to the Detroit Pistons, a defeat that snapped the Lakers’ nine-game winning streak. Both players were hurt two nights earlier in Orlando, where Hachimura departed early and Smart finished the contest despite his ankle issue.
Ayton is coming off a double-double performance in Detroit and has delivered strong rim protection and finishing over the past two weeks. Team officials indicated the move is precautionary with the postseason approaching.
Thiero began the season recovering from knee surgery and has experienced intermittent soreness all year. The Lakers have limited the rookie’s workload to avoid setbacks.
With three rotation players sidelined, head coach JJ Redick is expected to lean on Jake LaRavia and Jaxson Hayes alongside Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and LeBron James. Luke Kennard remains the lone regular reserve, while veterans Jarred Vanderbilt and Maxi Kleber could see expanded roles. Redick also has Kobe Bufkin, Dalton Knecht and Bronny James available for backcourt depth.
The Pacers enter the game with the NBA’s worst record, but the Lakers’ diminished roster heightens the challenge as they seek to end the trip on a positive note.
Source: Lakers Nation
