For the second time this season, the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics will go head-to-head on Saturday night. As one of the biggest rivalries in all of sports history, many will tune in to watch the game. Additionally, given that both teams are the No. 2 seed in their respective conferences, this matchup has a little more intrigue than usual as it could also be an NBA Finals preview.
This will mark the first time both teams will go up against each other after the Lakers' acquisition of Luka Doncic ahead of the trade deadline. Currently on an eight-game winning streak, the Lakers are one of the hottest teams in the NBA and will look to continue their dominance against their rivals. However, they may be without one of their key players in the game.
In his second season with the Lakers, big man Jaxson Hayes has become a regular contributor. Additionally, after the Lakers sent Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks, his role became even bigger after becoming the team's starting center.
However, the Lakers announced that Hayes, who is dealing with a right knee injury, has been downgraded ahead of their game against Boston.
Jaxson Hayes (right knee contusion) has been downgraded to doubtful for tonight's game vs. Boston, per the Lakers.
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) March 8, 2025
On the year, Hayes is averaging 6.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 1 block per game while shooting 71.4% from the field. While he is far from the Lakers' most important player, his absence will still be a tough obstacle for them to overcome if he is unable to go.
Hayes' next opportunity to suit up after the Celtics game is on Monday, when the Lakers will take on the Brooklyn Nets.
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This story was originally published March 8, 2025 at 2:24 PM.