The Los Angeles Lakers badly need some help, especially on the offensive end of the floor, with LeBron James expected to miss multiple weeks due to a right foot injury.
They fell to the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday, 121-109, because they simply didn’t have the firepower to fight back when Ja Morant and company went on a surge in the third quarter.
Making matters worse for L.A. is the absence of point guard D’Angelo Russell, one of the players it received in the Russell Westbrook trade. He suffered a sprained ankle early in the win last Thursday over the Golden State Warriors and missed his second straight game on Tuesday.
He likely will not play Wednesday versus the Oklahoma City Thunder, but per Ramona Shelburne, the Lakers are hopeful he’ll be able to play on Friday when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves.
.@ramonashelburne says on NBA Today that the Lakers are hopeful D'Angelo Russell (sprained ankle) can return on Friday at home vs. the Wolves.
— Michael Corvo (@michaelcorvoNBA) February 28, 2023
Russell’s ability to score from all three levels, get players open shots, space the floor and generate easy baskets in transition will be a major help to a James-less Lakers team.
