Lakers’ Rajon Rondo, Austin Reaves sit out against Heat as injuries mount

LOS ANGELES — As if the rotation wasn’t bladed enough.

The Lakers got thinner successful the backcourt with the quality that Rajon Rondo and Austin Reaves could not play Wednesday against the Miami Heat. Both suffered near hamstring strains, which Coach Frank Vogel described arsenic “minor” and “day-to-day.”

Both the seasoned and the rookie person been invaluable for the Lakers. Rondo was coming disconnected possibly his champion crippled backmost successful a Lakers azygous with 8 assists against Charlotte connected Monday night. Reaves had scored 26 points successful his erstwhile 3 games aft taking connected a larger-than-expected relation successful the lack of Talen Horton-Tucker and Trevor Ariza, neither of whom has played successful a crippled yet this play

The Lakers person had frustrating wounded luck dating to the preseason. Vogel shrugged successful the look of it.

“Guys get injured each the clip and you know, it’s conscionable portion of it,” Vogel said. “You privation them to get successful there, but if they’re not, you got different guys that tin get the occupation done. No one’s feeling atrocious for ourselves. We got a batch of guys out, but we got a batch of guys who tin play too.”

There person been fewer factual updates connected LeBron James, who missed his 4th consecutive crippled with an abdominal strain. Vogel confirmed earlier successful the week that the four-time league MVP was capable to shoot, but could bash small else.

The quality connected Kendrick Nunn has been adjacent tougher to travel by. The 25-year-old has been retired since the preseason erstwhile the Lakers discovered helium had a bony bruise successful his close knee. A idiosyncratic with penetration into his wounded concern told Southern California News Group that the healing process is temperamental and that Nunn could miss arsenic overmuch arsenic different month.

Added Vogel: “He’s inactive a ways away.”

Horton-Tucker could beryllium closer, wrong a week oregon two, a root told SCNG. Vogel said the 20-year-old has played one-on-one and two-on-two aft being cleared for interaction connected Tuesday.

The Heat didn’t get disconnected scot-free either, already missing Markieff Morris aft helium was shoved from down by Denver’s Nikola Jokic connected Monday. The Heat listed the wounded arsenic “whiplash.” Morris was fined $50,000 for the archetypal shove, which was deemed a flagrant foul successful itself. Still, helium attended courtside, capable to ticker the Lakers’ tribute video for his contributions to the 2019-20 title team.

Miami’s wounded concern became much dire successful the 2nd quarter, erstwhile All-Star Jimmy Butler exited and did not instrumentality aft spraining his close ankle. Butler, who played the full archetypal quarter, finished with 7 points and 1 assist.

Vogel characteristically went with a sunnier position connected injuries, saying that it has allowed much Lakers to get playing time.

“There is ever a metallic lining successful it that if we had a afloat steadfast team, not everybody connected our squad would beryllium playing,” helium said. “So we’re getting an accidental to get extended minutes for guys that we judge successful and each those minutes conscionable helped them turn and get comfy successful our system.”