The San Antonio Spurs will face the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night without their two-star players. Conversely, while LeBron James remains sidelined for the Lakers, Luka Dončić is expected to play.
Los Angeles Lakers Injury Report: Monday, March 17th
LeBron James will miss his fifth consecutive game due to a groin strain sustained on March 8th against the Boston Celtics. Dončić, dealing with a right ankle sprain, is listed as probable. Despite this, Dončić has been a consistent presence for the Lakers since his return, averaging 26.6 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 7.6 assists in 14 games, with shooting splits of 41/35/78. After an initial adjustment period, Dončić appears to have found his rhythm with the team.
The Spurs will be significantly weakened by the absence of De’Aaron Fox, who will undergo a procedure on Tuesday in Los Angeles to repair ligament damage in his left pinkie. This decision was made to ensure Fox’s full participation in offseason training. “You want to be able to get a full offseason in with the guys,” Fox explained. “That was really a big part … we want to be able to grow together in the offseason.”
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Victor Wembanyama will also be out due to deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder, diagnosed on February 20th. Since his injury, the Spurs have a 5-9 record and are tied with the Portland Trail Blazers for the 12th seed in the Western Conference.
A victory against the Lakers will be a challenging task for the Spurs without their stars, especially if Dončić plays. The Spurs, however, are preparing for either scenario.
According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, Luka Dončić and Dorian Finney-Smith are listed as probable for the Lakers, while Maxi Kleber, Trey Jemison III, LeBron James, and Rui Hachimura are out. The Lakers are coming off a 107-96 victory over the Phoenix Suns, where Dončić, despite his probable status, led the team with 33 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists, and two steals.
Tipoff is scheduled for 10:30 p.m. EST at Crypto.com Arena