BOSTON — The Lakers will be without a pair of starters on Saturday night including big man Jaxson Hayes for their showdown with the Celtics at TD Garden.
Los Angeles downgraded the big man from questionable to out about an hour before tip due to a right knee contusion. The Lakers will also be without Rui Haciumura due to a left knee injury. LeBron James (foot) and Luka Doncic (knee) were both upgraded from probable to available.
Hayes suffered the injury during the Lakers’ overtime win over the Knicks on Thursday night. Without him, their frontcourt will have limited true big man options including Alex Len and two-way players Trey Jemison and Christian Koloko. Jarred Vanderbilt could also see some minutes at center as well.
The Celtics will be down their starting center Kristaps Porzingis for the fourth straight game as well on Saturday night due to illness. Al Horford will start in his place. Jrue Holiday will be back in the lineup for Boston after missing the last three games with a finger injury.
The Lakers will be going for their ninth straight win overall when they face the Celtics in a nationally televised matchup on ABC at 8:30 p.m. Saturday night.
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