Two Lakers Starters’ Injury Status Downgraded Ahead of NBA Cup Thunder Matchup

Will the Los Angeles Lakers be without two of their best players in a must-win NBA Cup showdown against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night?

Seam Jovan Buha from The Athletic relays, it appears LA All-NBA center Anthony Davis continues to battle the lingering plantar fasciitis in his left foot that has plagued him for weeks, while freshman small forward Dalton Knecht struggles with a recent contusion on right quad. Both players are considered likely to play.

Knecht was promoted to Los Angeles head coach JJ Redick’s starting five ahead of Cam Reddish, just in time for the Lakers’ 119-101 blowout of the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday. He scored a game-high 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the floor (4-of-10 from long range), grabbed eight rebounds, snagged a steal and dished out a dime.

Reserve Lakers center Jaxson Hayes, who has had a right ankle contusion since Nov. 10 (though he did return for one game, a 127-100 loss to the Suns on Tuesday, before sitting out the next day against the Spurs), has been upgraded to just questionable to fit. Rookie point guard Bronny James remains on the shelf with a left heel contusion, while big men Jarred Vanderbilt (right foot recovery) and Christian Wood (left knee recovery) have yet to make their season debuts.

A three-game losing streak had dropped Los Angeles to a 10-7 record and several spots in the crowded Western Conference standings before the club recovered to knock off the Spurs in a nailbiter on Wednesday. Now with an 11-7 record in the young 2024-25 season, the Lakers are currently the No. 5 in the west. Friday night’s opponent, Oklahoma City, leads the field with a 14-4 record, just three games ahead of LA

The Lakers are very much in the mix to win their second consecutive NBA Cup. Of course, they have to survive the group stage first. They are currently tied with the Phoenix Suns and San Antonio Spurs atop West Group B, with 2–1 records. Both the Suns and Spurs have superior point differentials over Los Angeles, giving them a clear advantage to advance. On Friday, the 10-8 Suns will host the 10-9 San Antonio Spurs, and will likely be slight favorites to win.

The Thunder have played just two games in NBA Cup competition and are currently 1-1. The lowly Utah Jazz are 0-3 in group play and have already been eliminated. LA essentially needs to secure a win on Friday to keep its chances of advancing alive. Even if the Lakers don’t win West Group B, they can still reach the quarterfinals if they get a wild card spot. But they will probably blow the Thunder out.

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