Los Angeles Lakers DVOA, Stats, & NBA Rankings

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (ankle) popped up on the injury report on Friday with right ankle swelling and has been tagged as questionable for their game against the Portland Trail Blazers. If the team decided to hold out Doncic against a weaker opponent while Kyrie Irving was healthy, it wouldn't come as that big of a surprise. The MVP candidate has only missed three games so far this season, so he's not in danger of being disqualified for regular season awards. Fantasy managers will want to check back before tip-off, but if he sits this game out, Irving will see a big usage bump while Time Hardaway Jr. would likely move into the starting lineup.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (ankle) is currently listed as questionable for Friday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies. Unsurprisingly, James is back on the injury report, but this time with an ankle injury. The superstar forward was able to play through an illness on Wednesday. However, his availability for Wednesday remains uncertain because an ankle injury is a bit more serious an a illness. If he sits, Max Christie and Christian Wood would see increased playing time. Between the two, Christie is the better streaming option. Also, Anthony Davis (ankle) would be asked to carry the team on offense if James sits out. Fantasy managers will have to check back on Friday for another update on his status.

Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura (calf) is not expected to miss much time after suffering an injury during Sunday's game. It was revealed that Hachimura suffered a Grade 1 calf strain during Sunday's contest. The Lakers are currently listing Hachimura as day-to-day, which is good news for fantasy managers. Hachimura won't play on Wednesday, but it doesn't sound like he's going to miss significant time. Cam Reddish (groin) should start in his place and have increased fantasy value until Hachimura gets back on the court.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (illness), who is listed as questionable for Wednesday's clash with the Miami Heat, was present at morning shootaround ahead of the action. It puts James on the probable side of the questionable marker, but his official game status could ultimately come down to a game-time decision based on how he feels after pregame warmups. The future first-ballot Hall of Famer has done a great job of staying on the court in his age-39 campaign, sporadically missing just three games. James has settled for fewer jump shots and gotten back to driving more in 2023-24, shooting a career-high 40.9% from downtown and 53.5% from the field for his best mark since joining the Lakers in 2018-19. If James surprisingly can't suit up against his former Heat team, Anthony Davis (ankle) and Austin Reaves would run the show offensively.

Brooklyn Nets forward/center Dorian Finney-Smith has been upgraded from probable to available for Tuesday's road matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans. Finney-Smith continues to experience soreness in his left knee, which would seem to threaten his availability for the second leg of Brooklyn's back-to-back on Wednesday versus the Houston Rockets. The 30-year-old three-and-D specialist tends to be a low-end fantasy option, providing 10.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.4 treys per game on a career-high 43.0% clip from three-point land in his first full year with the Nets during 2023-24. With Ben Simmons (hip) on the shelf for the majority of the campaign, Finney-Smith has spent more time as a small-ball five than he ever has in his career behind starter Nicolas Claxton.