Although he didn’t play in the Lakers‘ preseason finale on Friday due to lower back soreness, Anthony Davis will have “no restrictions, whatsoever” when the team’s regular season tips off on Tuesday in Golden State, head coach Darvin Ham said (link via Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times).
Russell Westbrook, who sustained a left hamstring injury in Friday’s game, could “definitely” be available for the opener, according to Ham, but reserve point guard Dennis Schröder likely won’t be, as Turner writes.
Ham said that Schröder’s thumb ligament injury was still being evaluated as of Sunday, and while he’s still considered day-to-day, the ailment may take a little time to heal, tweets Kyle Goon of The Southern California News Group.
Here’s more from around the Western Conference:
- Nikola Jokic (wrist) and Jamal Murray (hamstring) are both expected to be available for the Nuggets‘ regular season opener on Wednesday in Utah, writes Mike Singer of The Denver Post. Barring an unexpected setback, it will be the first time Denver’s two stars have shared the court in a regular season game since April 2021.
- The Rockets will likely have a handful of players on the injury report to start the season, but head coach Stephen Silas said on Sunday that he’s hopeful rookie Jabari Smith (ankle) will be available for the team’s opener, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Silas added that Garrison Mathews (illness) and Daishen Nix (back) are “close” to being ready too. Jae’Sean Tate (ankle) is the least likely of the group to be available for the opener, Feigen writes.
- The two-way contracts signed in recent days by Jazz center Micah Potter and Pelicans forward E.J. Liddell both cover two years, Hoops Rumors has confirmed. As our tracker shows, those are the fifth and sixth two-way deals signed this offseason that are for two years instead of one.
- Noting that the Spurs have had “so many guys over the years” develop their games in the G League, head coach Gregg Popovich said two-way players Dominick Barlow and Jordan Hall will likely spend most of their time in Austin this season, per Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. “He’ll spend some time in the G League and play lots of minutes,” Popovich said, specifically addressing Barlow’s situation. “If he was with us right now, he’s not going to get on the court that much, which doesn’t help him develop.”
JTate missing the Atl/Hou season opener would be great news for my Hawks but whether he plays or not the main focus will be stopping their young high powered backcourt. Both of em had great games (67pts combined) when these teams played in the final gm of last season. Adding a guy like Dejounte should help to slow those boys down… link to m.youtube.com
It needs 25 shot attempts per game to fix Westbrook quickly ….. then Lakers have a chance to win it all
Focus on fixing Westbrook, coach Ham
There no fixing Russ. Russ wasn’t Russ when he has to share the ball. Facts show dude did his thing when he was the main guy. You put him around one or two other stars . Don’t expect him to be the same . He need to learn to play his game in a way that works with ad and lebron. Not the other way around that we need him to be the guy he was with the thunder
People just being cautious with the preseason. Anthony Davis about to have a monster season. Russell Westbrook is going to be the Los Angeles Lakers 6th man. Derrick Rose is going to be the New York Knicks 6th man. Two of the most athletic Point Guards I’ve ever seen.
If I were Westbrook,
if you refuse to fix me, I would have hamstring and I am not able to play
You can’t fix someone who isn’t broke. Westbrook will make $48 million this season.
He is Lakers most valuable player.
“Barring an unexpected setback, it will be the first time Denver’s two *stars* have shared the court…since April 2021.” Perhaps Murray will eventually achieve great success outside The Bubble, but to equate him with Jokic at this stage is wishful thinking.
To be honest I think MPJ is a more impactful player than Murray, or at least could be if he stays healthy and plays like he’s playing now.
Calling Murray one of Denver’s star players in no way equates him to Jokic. Does calling Khris Middleton one of Milwaukee’s stars equate him to Giannis?