The Los Angeles Lakers are preparing to play the Sacramento Kings in LA on Saturday night. However, LeBron James and Anthony Davis were among the Lakers who did not practice on Friday.
According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, LeBron and Rui Hachimura did not practice due to illnesses. Lakers head coach JJ Redick reportedly said both players are questionable for the Kings-Lakers game. Davis is also questionable, but he did not practice as he deals with an ankle injury. McMenamin reports that D'Angelo Russell is probable after not playing on Wednesday due to a thumb injury.
The Lakers were able to earn a big victory on Wednesday against the Golden State Warriors. LA narrowly emerged victorious, as Austin Reaves hit a game-winning shot late in the fourth quarter. The final score was 115-113.
The Lakers have played well in recent action. They are now 17-13 overall, which is good for sixth in the Western Conference. There is no question that this Lakers team is beginning to trend in an encouraging direction.
However, injuries continue to be an issue for the Lakers. The fact that LeBron James and Anthony Davis did not practice on Friday is concerning. Still, they both have a chance of playing on Saturday night given their questionable statuses.
Lakers looking to add another victory against Kings
The Lakers and Kings will play on Saturday evening. LA defeated the Kings in Sacramento in their most recent head-to-head matchup, as the Lakers won 103-99 on December 21. The Kings will now have a chance for revenge.
The Lakers have earned victories in four of their last five games, though. They are beginning to truly separate themselves from the .500 mark from a record standpoint. The Lakers want to prove that they are a legitimate contender.
The Kings are headed in a different direction at the moment. They are 13-18 overall and have lost five consecutive games. The Kings were most recently defeated by the Detroit Pistons at home on Thursday by a final score of 114-113.
Sacramento needs to turn their season around as soon as possible. Otherwise, they will end up falling out of postseason contention. It is still early enough in the season for the Kings to get back on track, but they must figure things out sooner rather than later.
The Lakers should have a strong chance of winning on Saturday as they have been playing well over the past couple of weeks. LeBron James, Anthony Davis and other Lakers players' injuries will be important to monitor, though.