After forging a three-game winning streak to strengthen their hold over the ninth spot in the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Lakers will start a six-game road trip as the regular season winds down. That trip will begin on Tuesday with a contest against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks.
While the Bucks underperformed during the first half of the season, they may be figuring things out. They have gone 11-4 since the All-Star break and are firmly in second place in the Eastern Conference.
Unfortunately for the Lakers, LeBron James is listed as doubtful for Tuesday’s game due to left ankle soreness, which is something he has dealt with for most of the season.
Via ESPN:
“LeBron James is doubtful for Tuesday’s road game against the Milwaukee Bucks because of soreness in his left ankle, the Los Angeles Lakers announced Monday,” wrote Dave McMenamin.
Despite this ankle issue, James has appeared in 62 of L.A.’s 71 games. He last sat out on March 8, when the team hosted the Bucks at Crypto.com Arena. It managed to win that contest, 123-122, thanks to a huge game and some late-game heroics from D’Angelo Russell.
Russell, who didn’t play on Sunday when the Lakers defeated the Indiana Pacers, is expected to play on Tuesday. The squad is already without guard Gabe Vincent, forward Jarred Vanderbilt and big man Christian Wood.