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Lakers News: Brook Lopez in, Lonzo Ball out vs Oklahoma City Thunder

By Kenneth Teape

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 10: Lonzo Ball #2 and Brook Lopez #11 of the Los Angeles Lakers are seen before a preseason game against the Utah Jazz on October 10, 2017 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 10: Lonzo Ball #2 and Brook Lopez #11 of the Los Angeles Lakers are seen before a preseason game against the Utah Jazz on October 10, 2017 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Los Angeles Lakers News: Brook Lopez and Kyle Kuzma will be in the lineup tonight, but Lonzo Ball will remain sidelined.

Recent Los Angeles Lakers news is somewhat positive. Heading into their primetime matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight, they will be getting some reinforcements back.

Starting center Brook Lopez will be making his return to the lineup tonight. Lopez has missed the past eight games because of an ankle sprain suffered against the Golden State Warriors back on December 18th.

Lopez is having a difficult first season with the Lakers. The 12.8 points per game are a career-low, while the 44.4 percent from the field and 22.4 minutes per game are also career-lows. While he has struggled, his return will help the Lakers get their rotation back in place, albeit on a limited basis off the bat.

Lopez will be on a minutes restriction in his return to the lineup. It has not been revealed whether that will come in the starting lineup or off the bench. Julius Randle has started the past three games and produced well, averaging 20.6 points and 11.3 rebounds.

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In addition to Lopez, rookie Kyle Kuzma will also have his minutes monitored. There were some worries that Kuzma would miss the game because of a quad issue, but he will be in the lineup according to head coach Luke Walton.

"“He is not hurt right now, but it is part of our job to monitor and make sure he doesn’t get run down and hurt himself with how hard that he plays,” Walton said of Kuzma, who is averaging 17.5 points and 6.5 rebounds.“That is a fine line because we like how hard he plays and we want to encourage everyone to play like that. We will keep an eye out to see if he is looking like he is fatiguing out there and monitor those minutes going forward.”“I think it is fighting through the fatigue and schedule that we have been playing more than the quad,” Walton added of Kuzma’s recent shooting struggles."

While Lopez and Kuzma will be in the lineup, Lonzo Ball will not be. Ball battled through a shoulder injury on December 23rd against the Portland Trail Blazers but has not been on the court since.

Ball will miss his sixth consecutive game tonight against the Thunder. He was cleared for practice but felt soreness today after going through a workout on Tuesday. However, Ball was able to participate in shootaround today and will practice Thursday.

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That could put Ball on track to play in Friday’s game against the Charlotte Hornets. Ball is itching to get back on the court, but knows he has to take it easy. There is still more than half the season remaining, so pushing it to play in early January games without being 100 percent healthy makes little sense.

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