Lakers’ Big Man to Undergo Surgery, Receives Ominous Timeline: Report - Sport News

Lakers’ Big Man to Undergo Surgery, Receives Ominous Timeline: Report

The Los Angeles Lakers cruised to a big win over the Atlanta Hawks on March 18.

Lakers News: Christian Wood Discusses Playing Mavericks For First Time  Since Departure - SportsCity.com

Their good fortunes largely stopped there, though, as they also suffered a potentially key loss in the frontcourt.

“ESPN Sources with [Dave McMenamin]: Los Angeles Lakers F Christian Wood will undergo an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee and is expected to be sidelined for several weeks,” ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported in a post on X on March 18. “The Lakers final regular season game is April 14.”

“Wood has been out more than a month already after experiencing swelling in the knee during the All-Star break,” McMenamin wrote in his subsequent report.

Wood, 28, is averaging 6.9 points on 56.8% true shooting with 5.1 rebounds and 1.0 assists this season. Despite his modest individual stats, Wood has had a tangible impact on the Lakers when he’s on the floor.

The Lakers’ net efficiency differential is plus-1.9 with him on the floor and plus-0.2 without him, per Cleaning The Glass.

Fortunately for the Lakers, Jaxson Hayes stepped up against the Hawks with 10 rebounds.


Lakers HC Darvin Ham Delivers Positive Injury News Outside of Christian Wood

Head Coach Darvin Ham did not address Wood’s injury after the game. Before the contest, however, he provided updates on Jarred Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent. The word on Cam Reddish was even more encouraging.

“Darvin Ham says Jarred Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent are progressing ‘according to plan,’” The Athletic’s Jovan Buha reported on X on March 18. Cam Reddish should be returning soon.”

Vanderbilt has missed the Lakers’ last 19 games. He also missed the first 20 games.

He is averaging 5.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1. 2 steals in his 29 appearances for the Lakers this season. Like Wood, the Lakers have been better with Vanderbilt than without, and the numbers are even more lopsided.

The Lakers have a plus-6.1 net efficiency differential with Vanderbilt on the court. That differential drops to minus-0.6 without him.

Jarred Vanderbilt working on one-legged shots

Vincent has played in just one game since October and five contests all season.

His last action came in late December. He could need a longer runway to ramp up than the Lakers have before the postseason starts. Vincent is averaging 5.4 points, 3.0 assists, and 1.0 rebounds.

Reddish has missed 19 of the last 24 games, including the last three straight. He’s averaging 6.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists this season.

He had also become a starter before injuries interrupted him in mid-January.


Lakers’ Win Over Hawks Key for Play-In Tournament Race

The Lakers snapped a two-game skid at the right time with this victory which, when combined with the Golden State Warriors’ loss to the New York Knicks on the night, moved LA into ninth place in the Western Conference standings.

This coming fresh off a road loss to the Warriors two nights before.

The two teams will meet once more (April 9) for a showdown to determine where they will meet again in the Play-In Tournament at the end of the regular season.

Neither team is clear of the 11th-place Houston Rockets, who have won seven of their last 10 outings. That is a better record than all four teams currently in the Play-In race in the West, leaving them just 4.0 games behind the Lakers in the standings.

Related Posts

NBA Insider Says LeBron James Is Unlikely To Get Involved In Lakers Coaching Search

After firing former coach Darin Ham, the Lakers are already hard at work narrowing down the candidates for his replacement. According to NBA insider Brian Windhorst, LeBron James…

Warriors labelled best fit should 14x All-Star wish to be traded again

The Golden State Warriors-Kevin Durant reunion speculation continues to brew despite no indication from the 14x All-Star that he’s looking to move from the Phoenix Suns. Regardless,…

Mavericks forward pulled off epic troll job against Clippers amid heated series

The Dallas Mavericks knocked off the LA Clippers in six games in the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs to advance to the second round to…

Rich Paul Talks LeBron James’ Future as Lakers Head to Pivotal Summer

Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul hinted at how many NBA seasons are left for his top client and close friend LeBron James as the Los Angeles Lakers head to a pivotal…

Thunder’s cocky approach to guarding Luka Doncic could come back to bite them

Later today, the Dallas Mavericks open up their series against the Oklahoma City Thunder on the road. The Thunder are not necessarily an easy matchup for Dallas considering they’re…

Lakers’ LeBron James drops honest review of Warriors’ Draymond Green’s ‘biggest asset’

The Golden State Warriors may not have reached the playoffs this season, but they still have one of great core – headed by Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. Lakers…