After having trouble gaining momentum to start the season, the Los Angeles Lakers have won nine of their last 13 games. It hasn’t been very pretty, but there are reasons for hope.
They have addressed some of their early season deficiencies, except for 3-point shooting, which is such a huge deficiency for them. One of those issues has been health.
The Lakers are closer to full health than they have been since early in the exhibition season. Forward Jarred Vanderbilt, Cam Reddish and Rui Hachimura were cleared to play on Saturday against the Houston Rockets. While Hachimura didn’t play in that contest, he’s apparently good to go for Tuesday’s in-season tournament quarterfinal.
He said the nasal fracture that kept him out of L.A.’s last five games is a lot better now.
Via Lakers Nation:
“I think I’m in good shape now,” Hachimura said. “The last game, I know it was in the media saying if I was gonna play or not, whatever, but I wasn’t really in good shape. It was right after the surgery, couldn’t even really do anything for a week. Me and the team decided that we’re gonna try to get into shape and get ready for this game tomorrow. So hopefully (I’ll be able to play).”
The Purple and Gold will face Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns, a team they have already defeated twice this season, on Tuesday. The winner will face the New Orleans Pelicans in the semifinal round in Las Vegas on Thursday.
