As the Lakers continue their dominant run with Luka Doncic, there is one major issue that could halt their momentum. Injuries! It was during Thursday’s Wolves clash that forward Rui Hachimura was forced to leave in the third quarter after suffering a left knee strain following a wide open fastbreak jam. He did not return for the rest of the game and even missed last night’s Clippers’ encounter. And there is a state of panic in Laker Nation because Rui is set to miss more upcoming games as JJ Redick revealed the severity of his injury.

According to veteran insider Dave McMenamin’s report, “JJ Redick says Rui Hachimura’s injury has been diagnosed as left patellar tendinopathy.” Well, the injury famously known as Jumper’s Knee causes pain in the tendon below the kneecap, often caused by repeated stress activities like jumping and running. So, it makes sense how Rui aggravated it by landing hard after the made dunk.

Of course, the timeline for Rui’s return remains uncertain, and JJ revealed that he will be reassessed in one week. That means he is likely to miss at least the upcoming three games against the Clippers, Pelicans, and Knicks. Surely, this is not what Redick was hoping for because prior to last night’s game, he said, “We are optimistic this is not a serious injury.”

At the time, Hachimura had undergone medical imaging in his knee but was awaiting assessment from Lakers’ doctor Kris Jones. With the latest diagnosis, doors have been shut for his return, at least for this week. Of course, that is a huge blow for the Lakers as Rui has been one of their most consistent players, averaging 13.3 points and over five rebounds. He is also a defensive menace, guarding the best players on most nights. So, the LA team will surely miss him until he returns. And the hoop community is devastated by JJ’s update.

NBA World fears Lakers are “Cooked” after Rui Hachimura news, still waiting on Austin Reaves update

While the diagnosis for Rui is final, there is still major uncertainty around Austin Reaves. Yes, he too suffered a massive setback last night as he was forced to leave the game in the first quarter due to right calf soreness. Turns out, he will undergo MRI to assess the severity of the injury before determining a potential return timeline. With two massive blows in one night, fans are starting to get worried for the Lakers, as one wrote, “We cooked.”

Many were even confused about Hachimura’s diagnosis, not fully understanding the severity of it. So, they feared the worst about the length of his hiatus, writing “4-6 weeks damn he’s gonna be missed” and “Ain’t this like a 6-month injury?” Only next week’s reevaluation will confirm when the Japanese star will be able to make a comeback.

Sure enough, Laker Nation is praying for Rui’s speedy recovery, leaving comments like “NO CLUE WHAT THAT SH*T IS BUT PLEASE DONT BE SERIOUS” and “Please tell me he’ll be fine soon.” And they would be praying the same for Reaves. Well, it was evident last night how much the Lakers need Rui and AR to make a playoff push. With them injured, no one except Luka Doncic and LeBron James was able to score in double-digits. Although they managed to beat the Clippers regardless, that might not be the case against tougher teams.

So, Redick needs his two best supporting players back as soon as possible to continue the team’s momentum. Only then will Laker Nation be able to breathe a sigh of relief.