The Lakers are having a rough go at their preseason matches. After the blowout loss against the Brooklyn Nets, the 2020 NBA Champions lost to the Suns and the Warriors in far from close battles. However, they still hold a chance to bounce back against both the WC units before regular season.
As of now, the Lakers’ warmup games have witnessed a crazy ejection of Dwight Howard, the rustiness of Russell Westbrook, and a struggling LeBron James. But now, they must welcome the unfortunate news of several injuries. This would mean a huge blow to their offense that allowed some new names to shine in the past few days.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Lakers’ preseason woes continue
Firstly, the Lakers got their shock after Trevor Ariza had to undergo surgery for his injury. That update pushed him off the playing roster for the next two months. And now, the latest development has Talen Horton-Tucker (right thumb sprain) and Malik Monk (right groin strain) out of the game against the Suns.
Malik Monk (right groin strain) and Talen Horton-Tucker (right thumb sprain) will both miss tomorrow’s game vs. the Suns. https://t.co/0bI5Tm6U17
— Silver Screen and Roll (@LakersSBN) October 10, 2021
Among the two injuries, backcourt bench leader Malik Monk’s injury raises deep concerns. The world saw the extent of harm a groin strain can do when it limited an otherwise high-flying Anthony Davis in the postseason 2021. And for THT’s injury, it’s a loss of a part-time starter that the Lakers must fill with another forward.
Also, even if the two players come back for the last preseason game against the Warriors, they might only get limited time on the court.
Read more: “He’s From Chicago”: LeBron James Gives Unique Reason For Trusting New Lakers Signing
How would this impact the Lake Show?
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Malik Monk has ‘Microwave’ as his nickname and he did every justice to the same in the last few days. The former Hornets shooting guard scored a team-high 15 points and 18 points in the Lakers’ loss against the Nets and the Suns. He literally cooked the defense of rival teams with his rim dominance and elite atleticism.
Also, in the GSW game when Malik started the game and THT sat on the bench, the latter took control of the offense and combined 40 points alongside Dwight Howard. So these two injuries will certainly limit the Lakers who had earlier lost to the Booker-less Suns.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Do you still see the Lakers claiming a win? Help us know in the comments section below.
Watch this story: LeBron James and Other NBA Players Who Got Lucrative Deals as Rookies