The rematch between the Lakers and Warriors arrives with the injury report doing a lot of the talking.
After Los Angeles handled Golden State on opening night, 127-105, behind 28 points from Luka Doncic, the two teams are set to meet again at Chase Center just a few games later. This time, the latest updates offer a clearer picture of who will be available and who won’t be.
For the Lakers, Cameron Carr has been ruled out with a right oblique strain, and Adou Thiero is also out because of left knee injury management. Ziaire Williams is listed as questionable with heel injury management, while Walker Kessler has been cleared after dealing with a left finger splint.
The status of Williams stands out the most for Los Angeles. He has been a steady presence in the starting lineup, posting averages of 11.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.3 blocks while shooting 57.1%.
Redick said Williams was dealing with soreness in his heel, which explains why he didn’t play Wednesday. Being tagged questionable leaves his availability hanging in the balance.
The Lakers also held multiple starters out yesterday in an “abundance of caution,” including Doncic. Even so, they still beat the Clippers 103-87, easing some of the worry that followed. Outside of Carr and Thiero, who remain the youngest players on the roster and have yet to make their season debuts, Los Angeles appears close to full strength.
Golden State, on the other hand, is still working through a much longer list of absences. Jimmy Butler is out after ACL surgery, Moses Moody is sidelined following left patellar tendon repair, and Kristaps Porzingis will not play. Gui Santos is doubtful with left knee tendinitis.
Those aren’t fresh problems for the Warriors. Butler, Moody, and Porzingis are all dealing with serious injuries that are expected to keep them out for months, and Porzingis may not return at all as he reportedly contemplates retirement. Santos does not have a firm timetable, though he is expected back sometime next month.
The result is a familiar imbalance in the injury ledger, with Golden State carrying tens of millions of dollars in salary that isn’t available right now. The Lakers are not perfectly healthy, but they are in a far better spot heading into this one, which could matter in a matchup built around names like Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Yaxel Lendeborg, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves.
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