LA Lakers Injury Update Ahead of Portland Rematch
The LA Lakers could see the return of key players Luka Doncic, Marcus Smart, and Jaxson Hayes for their Monday, November 4 clash against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Previous Match Recap
In their previous meeting on October 27, the Lakers were without several important players including Doncic, LeBron James, Smart, Gabe Vincent, Hayes, Maxi Kleber, and Adou Thiero, which contributed to their 122-108 loss to Portland.
Player Injury Status
- Luka Doncic missed three games due to a left finger and leg injury but has returned recently.
- Marcus Smart missed two games with a quad injury and is now back.
- Jaxson Hayes was out for three games with a knee issue and has since returned.
- Austin Reaves has played in all games thus far without injury concerns and may feature again on the second night of the back-to-back.
- Deandre Ayton, the Lakers’ key offseason signing, missed the recent game due to back spasms, which affected him during the second half of Friday’s win over the Grizzlies.
- LeBron James remains an injury concern with no clear update yet.
Recent Game Notes
None of Doncic, Smart, or Hayes were listed on the injury report during Sunday's 130-120 win against the Miami Heat, and all played without issues. Ayton, however, sat out that game after dealing with back spasms that caused him to miss the second half of the previous match.
"Ayton faced back spasms in Friday's 117-112 victory against the Grizzlies and missed the second half."
The Lakers have yet to issue an official injury report for the upcoming game, leaving some uncertainty about Ayton and LeBron James’s availability.
Summary
The Lakers are hopeful to regain key players who missed the first Portland game, improving their lineup depth, though injury concerns remain for Ayton and LeBron James ahead of the rematch.
Author's note: The Lakers’ returning core players boost their chances, but key injury worries still cloud the upcoming crucial rematch.