The Los Angeles Lakers’ injury report is a matter of great interest ahead of their upcoming clash against the Minnesota Timberwolves. After being eliminated in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs last season by the Timberwolves, the Lakers, led by Luka Dončić, got their revenge with an 18-point victory last Friday for their first win of the season. While Dončić may have helped the Lakers win that game, he sustained a finger injury and has been sidelined since then. Although this is a cause for concern, it has also been revealed that a center who missed the first matchup against the Timberwolves will be returning for the Lakers.
Lakers Center Upgraded to Available Against the Minnesota Timberwolves
According to the Lakers’ latest injury report, Hayes has been upgraded to available after dealing with left patellar tendinopathy, also known as jumper’s knee, caused by frequently running and jumping.
Although Hayes isn’t widely considered a star, he displayed flashes of serviceability, being on the receiving end of easy buckets at the rim thanks to Dončić. However, Hayes missed the past three games due to the injury.
Last season, Hayes averaged 6.8 points and 3.9 rebounds in 19.5 minutes of action. Those numbers may not sound impressive, but he is a huge part of the Lakers’ interior defense alongside starting center Deandre Ayton, who is averaging 15.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per game this season.
While Hayes is set to return, the Lakers still miss several players, including Dončić, LeBron James, Marcus Smart, Maxi Kleber, Adou Thiero, and Gabe Vincent, meaning the Lakers will be viewed as the underdogs in this matchup against the Timberwolves, who will miss the services of Anthony Edwards, who has a right hamstring strain.
The Lakers will likely continue to heavily rely on Austin Reaves, who has recorded a 50-point game and a 40-point game, as the primary option on the team.
The Lakers are coming off a 122-108 blowout loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. Reaves’ 41-point performance and multiple other players’ double-digit scoring weren’t enough to get the job done.
As things stand, the Lakers hold a 2-2 record, which is the same as the Timberwolves. While the season may have just begun and they are injury-riddled, they cannot afford to give up a single game this early in the postseason race.
