The LA Lakers, who started with an impactful 3-game win and a spot in the top-4 seeds, have reached the 9th spot. The rookie coach JJ Redick couldn’t really crack that code that ultimately made Darvin Ham exit the franchise. While it’s too early to write him off, at the same time LeBron James & Co. have found themselves in a tough spot. On the other hand, the Miami Heat, which hasn’t really made any noise in the regular season much like their last few seasons, continue to play the same way until they unleash it all in the postseason.
The Lakers are coming off an embarrassing blowout loss against the Wolves in their 4-game road stretch. Currently, on a 1-1 run after the close win over the Jazz, the team will look to end it on a winning note. However, the injury report doesn’t really seem to go their way. Austin Reaves missed the last two games with a pelvis injury, which he sustained during an ugly fall in the OKC game, and is less likely to play the game. The team listed him in the Questionable category.
Apart from him, the team has also listed Anthony Davis in the probable category, citing the left foot plantar fasciitis. This is something that AD will have to deal with for the rest of the season. Maybe even for the rest of his career. However, the big man seems to have found his way with it effortlessly so far. Other than that, the team listed the following blokes in the IR.
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| Bronny James | Heel injury (Out) |
| Jalen Hood-Schifino | Groin (Questionable) |
| Jarred Vanderbilt | Left Knee (Out) |
| Jaxson Hayes | Ankle (Out) |
| Christian Wood | Knee (Out) |
On the other hand, the Miami Heat also have a lengthy injury report, including their prime asset, Jimmy Butler. The team has listed the star in the Questionable category with a knee injury. Here is the list of other injured players.
| Kevin Love | Back (Questionable) |
| Josh Richardson | Ankle (Out) |
| Nikola Jovic | Illness (Questionable) |
| Kel’el Ware | Foot (Doubtful) |
JJ Redick’s men vs Heat: Starting lineup and depth chart
After the loss against the Timberwolves, LeBron James faced a lot of backlash for his poor run in the last few games. In fact, JJ Redick and the superstar had a slight disagreement regarding Bron’s goal of playing all 82 games. Moreover, he also went dry from the perimeter in the last four games, shooting at 0-19 FG from the distance. So, the Akron Hammer has a lot to prove on the Wednesday night outing. Let’s find out if the team’s depth can help the superstar with his ambition.
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The Los Angeles Lakers
| POSITION | STARTING LINEUP | 2nd UNIT | 3rd UNIT |
| PG | D’Angelo Russell | Gabe Vincent | – |
| SG | Dalton Knecht | – | – |
| SF | Rui Hachimura | Max Christie | – |
| PF | LeBron James | Cam Reddish | Maxwell Lewis |
| C | Christian Koloko | Armel Traore | – |
The Miami Heat
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| POSITION | STARTING LINEUP | 2nd UNIT | 3rd UNIT |
| PG | Tyler Herro | Alec Burks | Dru Smith |
| SG | Terry Rozier | Duncan Robinson | – |
| SF | Pelle Larsson | – | – |
| PF | Haywood Highsmith | Jaime Jaquez Jr. | – |
| C | Bam Adebayo | Thomas Bryant | – |
Can Jimmy Butler-less Heat down the shorthanded Lakers and further hamper their progress in the West? Let us know in the comments below.
