The Los Angeles Lakers are facing uncertainties in their lineup for Sunday night’s matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers, with LeBron James labeled as questionable due to a left calf contusion, while Anthony Davis is probable with left hip/adductor spasms.
Jaxson Hayes is also listed as probable with a left ankle sprain, but Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent, and Jalen Hood-Schifino remain sidelined.
LeBron James sustained a left calf contusion during Friday night’s victory over the Phoenix Suns after colliding legs with Kevin Durant in the early first quarter. Despite finishing the game, James acknowledged that the discomfort persisted, and it’s no surprise that he is now listed as questionable.
“It never loosened up,” James explained. “But I was driving and awkwardly, KD’s knee, the force of that went right into my shin, which pretty much just locked up right then and there. Shot down to my foot so I just tried to obviously keep my composure and make sure everything was OK and tried to keep it stretched out as much as possible, tried to keep it as loose as possible so I could play the game and be effective. So pretty sore right now obviously because the adrenaline is calming down. I’ve iced it and all that stuff so now it’s pretty sore but that’s what happened on the play.”
While the injury doesn’t appear to be severe, James’s availability for Sunday’s game remains uncertain and will likely be a game-time decision. On the other hand, Anthony Davis, who missed one game with hip/adductor spasms before returning against the Suns, is listed as probable. Despite not having his best game, Davis felt an improvement as the match progressed.
“It took some time to kind of get into the game just with the shots and stuff, kind of just trying not to aggravate it,” Davis noted. “But as the game kind of got going, I just stopped thinking about it and started playing. Felt it a couple times throughout the course of the game, but for the most part, it felt good.”
Considering the Lakers’ injury challenges, particularly if James is unable to play, Davis’s probable status provides a potential boost for the team. The Lakers, despite the uncertainties, aim to secure a victory, especially given the Trail Blazers’ own injury woes.