Taking flight without wingman Cam Reddish, the Lakers faced the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday night with a gap in their starting lineup. Reddish’s absence was attributed to discomfort in his left groin, a recurring issue that surfaced on the team’s injury report before Monday’s Christmas Day clash with the Boston Celtics.
In that game, Reddish contributed five points in 18 minutes, marking his lowest playing time since exiting the November 21 victory over the Utah Jazz due to a groin injury after just five minutes on the court.
Having started in 26 of the 31 regular-season games leading up to Thursday’s match, Reddish‘s spot was filled by Rui Hachimura, marking his fourth appearance in the starting lineup this season. The starting unit, featuring Hachimura alongside LeBron James, Taurean Prince, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Anthony Davis, showcased Coach Darvin Ham’s commitment to a lineup emphasizing size and switchability.
This strategic move towards a more substantial and versatile lineup was initiated when Ham opted to insert Jarred Vanderbilt in place of D’Angelo Russell for the first time before last Saturday’s victorious road game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. As the Lakers navigated the court without Reddish, the emphasis on size and adaptability remained a central theme for Coach Ham’s starting five
Darvin Ham says Cam Reddish (groin) is out tonight against Charlotte.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) December 29, 2023
The 2023-24 NBA season for the Los Angeles Lakers resembles a marathon of adversity, with an ongoing parade of injuries turning their roster into a revolving door of uncertainties. It’s been a symphony of setbacks, a medley of mostly minor and moderate injuries that have disrupted the harmony of their gameplay. The inability to establish consistent cohesion on the court has been a palpable consequence of this relentless injury saga.
Among the casualties, the Lakers have found themselves grappling with a specific challenge— a scarcity of wing depth. Jarred Vanderbilt and Rui Hachimura, two pillars of their wing rotation, have spent significant stretches on the sidelines, casting a shadow over the team’s stability. Adding to the intricate dance of setbacks, Cam Reddish faced his bout with adversity in November, missing games due to the haunting specter of groin soreness.
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As the Lakers gear up for a showdown against the Charlotte Hornets this Thursday evening, the woes persist. The narrative takes another turn as Reddish, the mercurial talent, has been reluctantly ruled out, leaving the Lakers to face yet another test of resilience in their quest for cohesion and success on the court.
Reddish’s nonattendance is poised to usher in a significant uptick in playing time for the sophomore sensation, Max Christie. The young wing has been contributing 4.3 points per game in a 16.5-minute average, showcasing a shooting prowess with a 38.7% accuracy overall and a 30.2% mark from beyond the arc throughout the current season