After missing nearly a month of action due to a knee injury, Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura has played in each of the team's last three games. In those games, he averaged 8 points and 3 rebounds while shooting 53.3% from the field in 23.3 minutes.
The Lakers are 1-2 in their three games since Hachimura's return, though they defeated the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday thanks to a LeBron James game-winner. Los Angeles will have another opportunity to secure a victory when they go up against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday. However, the Lakers made an announcement regarding Hachimura before their battle against Chicago that will impact the game.
The Lakers last played the Bulls on March 22 in a game that culminated in a 31-point loss for them. They will have a chance to exact revenge on Thursday, though they will be doing it without Hachimura as he has officially been ruled out for the game.
Lakers say Rui Hachimura is out tonight pic.twitter.com/9eIRPnCbkp
— Trevor Lane (@Trevor_Lane) March 27, 2025
Since Thursday's game against the Bulls is on the second night of a back-to-back, it is safe to assume the Lakers are simply being cautious with Hachimura. Regardless, his status will be worth monitoring. His next chance to suit up will be on Saturday against the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Lakers are back up to the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference with a few weeks to go, and they are only 2.5 games behind the Houston Rockets for the No. 2 seed. Los Angeles will look to string together as many victories as possible and gain momentum ahead of what could be a deep playoff run.
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This story was originally published March 27, 2025 at 11:20 AM.