This part of the NBA schedule has been pretty tough for the Lakers. They have five games over seven days, are dealing with a slew of injuries and are currently on a three-game losing streak.
LA is also set to play the second leg of a back-to-back on Tuesday, with their biggest star’s availability very much in question.
Luka Dončić and LeBron James are both listed as questionable for the Lakers’ game against the Hawks. To make matters worse, they also have backup big Jaxson Hayes ruled out.
LeBron has yet to complete a back-to-back slate this year, which is understandable given his age and the sciatica injury he dealt with earlier this season.
However, if he misses this game against the Hawks, he would no longer be eligible for any end-of-season awards.
The NBA states you must play 65 games to qualify for accomplishments like MVP and All-NBA, and one more absence makes it impossible for James to reach that threshold.
Besides what it means for LeBron to miss a game, the Lakers need his availability to improve their odds of winning and the same goes for Luka.
Rui Hachimura is another player dealing with an injury that is affecting his availability.
Hachimura will also be coming off the bench and not starting as he ramps up his conditioning.
Perhaps Kobe Bufkin can help LA on Tuesday night.