It’s all even—5-5! In their last 10 matchups, the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets have split wins right down the middle. But heading into their upcoming clash, the Lakers were poised to have a major advantage they didn’t before: Luka Doncic.
The problem? It’s unclear whether they’ll actually be able to use that edge. On top of that, the team will also be without a key player who was a major part of their season. Meanwhile, the Nets have their own injury concerns to navigate, making this a battle of adjustments as both teams try to capitalize on each other’s weaknesses.
According to the Lakers Injury Report, as highlighted by ESPN, the team currently has 6 players listed! Four of them have been declared ‘OUT’ for the upcoming matchup. This includes LeBron James, as he recovers from his recently sustained groin strain. To make matters worse, Luka Doncic is listed as ‘Questionable’, meaning that his availability for the game at the Barclays Center holds 50-50 odds.
After securing an 8-game win streak, things took a challenging turn when the Lakers competed against the Boston Celtics. By the end of the game, not only did the Celtics break the LA franchise’s streak, but LeBron James and Luka Doncic also picked up some major injuries. Midway through the 4th quarter, the 40-year-old sustained the ailment and did not return in the remaining minutes.
The injury was later diagnosed to be a left groin strain. According to Shams Charania, LeBron is now set to miss at least 1-to-2 weeks. Luka Doncic reportedly labored through back and knee injuries during the recent game. Despite that, he played on till the end of the game and scored 34 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal over 37 minutes. Now, he has sustained back soreness and put his availability status under a cloud of doubt.
Feb 19, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) and guard Luka Doncic (77) during the second quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images
Along with Luka Doncic, Jaxson Hayes is the other player listed as ‘Questionable’. The 24-year-old is in danger of missing his 2nd consecutive game as he recovers from a right knee contusion. Meanwhile, Dorian Finney-Smith, a key player in the Lakers lineup, has been declared ‘OUT’ due to ankle soreness.
This will leave the LA franchise with a very thin frontcourt. Rui Hachimura will miss his 6th consecutive game as he recovers from his left patellar tendinopathy. Maxi Kleber is recovering from his right foot surgery and won’t be reevaluated for another month.
As for the Brooklyn Nets, the team’s situation isn’t as bad as the Lakers. After all, they have only 2 players listed on their report. Trendon Watford is ‘OUT’ due to left hamstring injury management. The same status is also held by Cam Thomas, as he recovers from a left hamstring strain.
In light of these updates, both teams will have to make adjustments to their starting lineup.
What will the starting lineup and depth chart for the Lakers-Nets game look like?
The starting lineup for the Los Angeles Lakers will look something like this:
POSITION
STARTER
2ND
3RD
4TH
5TH
PG
Luka Doncic (Questionable)
Gabe Vincent
Austin Reaves
Shake Milton
Jordan Goodwin
SG
Austin Reaves
Dalton Knecht
Gabe Vincent
Jordan Goodwin
Rui Hachimura (OUT)
SF
Rui Hachimura (OUT)
Jordan Goodwin
LeBron James (OUT)
Dalton Knecht
Dorian Finney-Smith (OUT)
PF
LeBron James (OUT)
Jarred Vanderbilt
Dorian Finney-Smith (OUT)
Rui Hachimura (OUT)
Cam Reddish
C
Jaxson Hayes (Questionable)
Dorian Finney-Smith (OUT)
Trey Jemison III
Alex Lan
Christian Koloko
Similarly, the starting lineup for the Brooklyn Nets will look like this:
POSITION
STARTER
2ND
3RD
4TH
5TH
PG
D’Angelo Russell
Keon Johnson
Reece Beekman
Cam Thomas (OUT)
Tyson Etienne
SG
Keon Johnson
Ziaire Williams
Tyrese Martin
Jalen Wilson
Cam Thomas (OUT)
SF
Cam Thomas (OUT)
Noah Clowney
Jalen Wilson
Ziaire Williams
Tosan Evbuomwan
PF
Cameron Johnson
Trendon Watford (OUT)
Noah Clowney
Jalen Wilson
Tosan Evbuomwan
C
Nic Claxton
Day’Ron Sharpe
Trendon Watford (OUT)
Noah Clowney
The Los Angeles Lakers or the Brooklyn Nets? Who will you be rooting for during the upcoming game? Let us know in the comments.
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