Los Angeles Lakers guard Dennis Schroder out 10-14 days, per report
The Los Angeles Lakers were a top-four team in the western conference during the first half of the season. However, things have changed a bit since that time.
For example, Anthony Davis — the Lakers’ second-leading scorer and top defender — went down with an injury. LeBron James was also out of the rotation for several weeks with a high ankle sprain injury to make matters worse. Not only that, but James re-aggravated the injury on Sunday night, which will result in at least a one-game absence.
As if the Lakers weren’t already having their share of bad luck, the narrative took another unexpected turn. Dennis Schroder will miss 10-14 days, as reported by The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Bill Oram.
This latest setback could not come at a worse time for the struggling Lakers. They have recorded losses in each of their previous three games. Furthermore, they have dropped seven of their last 10 games overall heading into Monday night’s action.
As a result of their recent skid, the Lakers now find themselves in a three-way tie for the No. 5 seed. The other ball clubs in the mix are the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers.
If you’re a Lakers fan, their upcoming slate of games should be cause for concern. After a conference showdown against the Denver Nuggets, the Lakers will take on the LA Clippers on Thursday. Then, they will take on a Phoenix Suns squad that is vying for the top spot in the conference. The Lakers will conclude a difficult four-game stretch against a New York Knicks team that is playing some pretty good basketball this season.
Schroder has started in all 59 games he has suited for the Los Angeles Lakers this season. He has compiled averages of 15.5 points, 5.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals per outing. He is shooting 43.8 percent from the floor and 33.5 percent from 3-point range.
Simply put, replacing his production will not be an easy task, to say the least. And depending on how they fare the rest of the way, the Lakers could be in danger of missing the playoffs altogether, a sentiment that once seemed improbable a couple of months ago.