NBA Injury Reports: Is LeBron James Playing Friday vs Ja Morant and Co? Official Update on Lakers’ 19x All-Star

The Los Angeles Lakers really need to find their form. Despite winning the inaugural In-Season tournament, their season is on the verge of collapse. Since their NBA Cup triumph, the Lakers have lost eight out of their last 11 games. This form has relegated them to the 10th spot in the Western Conference standings. They face the Memphis Grizzlies in their next game.

The game is scheduled to tip off by 10:00 PM, Eastern Time at the Crypto.com Center in Los Angeles. However, the Lakers’ fans face an anxious wait, as the availability of LeBron James remains uncertain for tonight’s game.

LeBron questionable for tonight’s game

The game against the Grizzlies holds great significance for the Lakers, as they aim to end their three-game losing streak. The Lakers’ form post the NBA Cup triumph has been alarming. For a team that won the In-Season tournament dominantly, winning all 7 games, their current form becomes even more perplexing. Their game against the Grizzlies promises to be a competitive affair. However, the Lakers could miss the services of LeBron James, as they have listed him as questionable due to a left ankle injury.

Apart from LeBron, the Lakers will also miss the services of Gabe Vincent (knee) and Rui Hachimura (calf). There’s also a high probability of D’Angelo Russell missing tonight’s game, as the Lakers have listed him as doubtful because of a tailbone injury. Like the Lakers, the Grizzlies will also miss the services of some key players for tonight’s game. Derrick Rose (thigh) and Brandon Clark (Achilles) remain sidelined for the game against the Lakers. The Memphis have also listed Vince Williams Jr. as questionable due to a foot injury. Steven Adams remains sidelined for the foreseeable future because of a right knee injury.

Predicted Lineups: Lakers vs Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies have severely struggled in the absence of Ja Morant. However, with Morant returning to the lineup, the Grizzlies will aim to push on and get some wins under their belt. Their hopes of a playoff spot are in the balance, as they aim to complete an improbable comeback and that starts with a victory over the out-of-form Lakers. They could start the game with Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Xavier Tillman.

Read More: Losing $7,084,427 Doesn’t Cost Ja Morant’s NBA All-Star Spot as the 24-Year-Old Remains the Only Grizzlies Star to Make the First Cut

Despite the Lakers holding a much better position than their opponents, their title dreams hang by a thread. Big things were expected out of the Lakers this season, but they have failed to deliver on those expectations. They have shown their title credentials, as evidenced by their NBA Cup win. Nevertheless, they need to start winning games consistently if they want to be taken seriously as a title contender. They could begin the game with Taurean Prince, Austin Reaves, LeBron James, Cam Reddish, and Anthony Davis.

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