Lakers frontcourt player in jeopardy of missing Game 3 with ankle injury originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Los Angeles Lakers are at risk of being without forward Jake LaRavia for Game 3 with an ankle sprain.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick shared with the media that LaRavia has a minor ankle sprain and is listed as day-to-day.
Jake LaRavia has a very minor ankle sprain and is day to day, JJ Redick says.
LaRavia suffered the injury in the fourth quarter of Game 2 against the Houston Rockets. He left the contest and has since been diagnosed with a sprain.
The fourth-year forward's status is unclear a day before Game 3. His status will become clearer closer to game time. Through two games thus far, LaRavia is averaging 3.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 17 minutes.
If LaRavia is out, look for Los Angeles to lean more on Jarred Vanderbilt or possibly give Dalton Knecht some run in these playoffs.
This is the last thing the Lakers needed as they are already down two of their best players, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Doncic and Reaves have missed the last three weeks of action due to their respective injuries. The six-time All-Star is ruled out with a Grade 2 hamstring strain. As for Reaves, he is dealing with a left oblique muscle strain.
Doncic is ruled out for the entire first round. The case is different for Reaves, as there is a chance he comes back later in the series if it is extended.
The Lakers will look to take a commanding 3-0 series lead on Friday as they hit the road for the first time in these playoffs. Los Angeles took care of business in the first two games in front of their home crowd. They held the Rockets to under 100 points in Games 1 and 2. On top of that, role players like Luke Kennard and Marcus Smart were stellar in the wins.
Now the series shifts to Houston with all the pressure on the Rockets to get on the board against the short-handed Lakers. The Lakers are massive road underdogs at +10.5.
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