The Lakers, looking to make up ground in the Western Conference playoff race, won’t have LeBron James available on Tuesday in Milwaukee for the first game of their six-game road trip, the team announced today (Twitter link via ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski). James has been ruled out due to his ongoing left ankle issues.
Elsewhere on the Lakers injury front, while there was a belief that Gabe Vincent may have been able to return by now following left knee surgery, he remains on the shelf and isn’t with the team in Milwaukee, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
According to McMenamin, if Vincent continues to make good progress in his rehab work, there’s a chance he’ll join the Lakers at some point during the current road trip, which runs through next Wednesday (April 3).
- Pelicans guard Dyson Daniels, who underwent knee surgery in February after tearing his meniscus, appears to be nearing a return. The team announced today (via Twitter) that Daniels has been assigned to the G League and will be available to play for the Birmingham Squadron on Wednesday. The second-year wing hasn’t been active since February 9.
- Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert played in his 65th game of the season on Sunday and is now eligible for end-of-season awards, notes Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link). That benchmark is significant for Gobert, who is the current frontrunner to earn the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year honor this season.
- After requesting trades out of Cleveland and Brooklyn and leaving Boston in free agency, Kyrie Irving has had a relatively calm, drama-free stint in Dallas so far. Marc Stein explores why that’s the case, writing at Substack that Irving has been willing to sacrifice, the Mavericks have built him a strong support system, and he and Luka Doncic have a genuine affinity for one another.
Just sit Vanderbilt and Vincent ROS
The Ham~man get’s frazzled when the rotation gets larger than 8 or 9 neway
Keep everyone healthy and enjoy the long summer
Did Kyrie have a choice but to grow up and change his erratic, nutty, entitled behaviour? It’s good to see Kyrie doing his talking on the court. Guys a super talent. Got the killer clutch gene and can get hot for long stretches. Does anyone really want to see Luka and Ky in the playoffs? Gonna be a tough out. Bringing in Exum looks like a master stroke. He’s always played D and been lights out from deep this season. Play making has improved massively. Great trades at the deadline Bringing in guys who really fit.
Nice win by Lakers.
Bucks should have closed it in regulation. Had a good lead. Didn’t make stops down stretch. Lakers toughed it out. Bucks have to be better.