Throughout this season, it has seemed like the Los Angeles Lakers haven’t been able to catch a break when it has come to injuries.
Gabe Vincent and Jarred Vanderbilt, arguably their two best perimeter defenders, will be out for an extended stretch with a knee ailment and foot injury, respectively. Both are expected to be reevaluated pretty soon, but neither is necessarily expected to return soon.
In addition, LeBron James and Christian Wood will miss L.A.’s first game back from the All-Star on Thursday against the Golden State Warriors. James underwent treatment on his ailing ankle, while Wood has knee swelling.
As a result, Wood will reportedly be out for about two weeks. However, the team is hopeful his knee ailment is minor.
There is optimism that Wood’s knee injury is minor and he will be able to return within the initial projected injury timeline, a source familiar with the situation told ESPN https://t.co/zCMhAUYwHS
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) February 22, 2024
His absence will seriously hamper the Lakers’ big man rotation. While Wood’s offensive production has been somewhat inconsistent, he has helped them with his rebounding and even, to a certain extent, his defense.
He’s averaging 6.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 0.7 blocked shots in 17.4 minutes a game while shooting 46.6% from the field and 30.7% from 3-point range this season.
