Just when it looked like the dark rain cloud hovering over the Los Angeles Lakers was starting to evaporate, they suffered yet another injury.
They took the court against the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night in the first game after the long All-Star break for both teams. Los Angeles started very solidly, opening a double-digit lead.
The burgeoning chemistry between new point guard D’Angelo Russell and his teammates looked promising, especially in the pick-and-roll department, and he helped the Lakers’ fast break look very potent.
Unfortunately, Russell suffered a sprained ankle and will be out for the rest of the game.
D'Angelo Russell is out for the rest of the game due to a right ankle sprain.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) February 24, 2023
If he has to miss any real time, it will be a significant blow to the Lakers’ playoff hopes. They began the night with a 27-32 record, which puts them two games behind the 10th-place Oklahoma City Thunder and 3.5 games behind the sixth-place Dallas Mavericks.