Suddenly saddled with a three-game losing streak and injuries to several key players, the Los Angeles Lakers badly need wins to stop the bleeding, as well as to ensure they finish with the best playoff positioning possible. They have fallen to fourth place in the Western Conference with a 50-29 record, and they trail the third-place Denver Nuggets by one game while being tied with the fifth-place Houston Rockets.
They will visit the Golden State Warriors on Thursday, and it will not be an easy game for them. The Warriors have their own injury problems, but Stephen Curry recently returned to action after missing about two months with a knee injury.
For Los Angeles, LeBron James is expected to be available after a one-game absence, and veteran guard Marcus Smart is questionable after missing the last eight games with an ankle injury. Jaxson Hayes will sit out another game with left foot soreness, and, of course, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are sidelined with hamstring and oblique strains, respectively.
For Golden State, Curry is listed as questionable, and Kristaps Porziņģis, along with four other players, will be out.
After this contest, the Lakers will quickly turn around and host the Phoenix Suns on Friday. They will then wrap up their regular-season schedule with a home game versus the Utah Jazz on Sunday.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Lakers reveal injury report for Thursday’s game versus Warriors
Reporting by Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire / LeBron Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
