Los Angeles Lakers forward Brandon Ingram will be sidelined a little longer than originally planned.
Right when things are beginning to look up for the Los Angeles Lakers, they seem to hit a snag. Each time they are getting on a winning streak, an injury pops up that causes Luke Walton to once again adjust this rotation.
At first, it was point guard, Rajon Rondo. The Lakers had won four consecutive games before Rondo fractured a bone in his hand. Los Angeles would split their next six games as they looked to smooth things over without their backup point guard who normally closed out games.
After that six-game stretch, the Lakers once again went on a four-game winning streak. This time, it was Brandon Ingram who suffered an injury.
About midway through the first quarter against the Spurs on Dec. 5, Ingram rose for a mid-range jumper. LaMarcus Aldridge closed out on Ingram and got way too close, stepping underneath him. Ingram rolled his ankle as a result and Aldridge was given a Flagrant-1 foul.
Ingram was forced from the game after his free throw attempt and headed to the locker room. He warmed up with the team after halftime but was held out of the game.
Testing done at the arena came back negative, which was good news for Ingram. Originally, he was expected to miss at least two games. Now, we know it will be a little longer than that.
According to Mike Bresnahan of Spectrum SportsNet, Ingram will miss at least three games and be re-evaluated this upcoming week.
Results of Brandon Ingram’s MRI exam confirmed a sprained left ankle.
— Mike Bresnahan (@Mike_Bresnahan) December 8, 2018
He will be evaluated again in a week, meaning he will miss at least three more games including tonight in Memphis.
The Lakers were able to defeat the Memphis Grizzlies without Ingram, but he was missed in the loss against the Spurs. The Lakers fell apart in the fourth quarter, as they couldn’t stop and cold and couldn’t score a basket of their own.
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Already missing two games, Ingram is slated to miss at least two more before even being re-evaluated. On Monday, the Lakers host the Miami Heat at the Staples Center before heading out on the four-game road trip.
The first game of that road trip will be against the Houston Rockets, who Ingram incited a brawl with earlier in the season. It may be for the best that he is not playing in that game. Following that, the Lakers travel to face the Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards and Brooklyn Nets.
If he is already ruled out for Monday and Thursday, the first chance he will have to get back on the court is against the Hornets. The Hornets and Wizards are a back-to-back set on Saturday and Sunday, the 15th and 16th. With all of the travel, it is unlikely the Lakers will have much practice time, which Ingram will need some of to get back on the court.
Hopefully, Ingram is able to return to the lineup sooner than later. For however long he is sidelined, Josh Hart will continue filling in for Ingram in the starting lineup. Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, Lance Stephenson and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will continue soaking up the remaining minutes on the wing off the bench.