Los Angeles Lakers DVOA, Stats, & NBA Rankings

According to Ryan Ward of LakersNation.com,Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura(knee) is unavailable for Thursday's matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks. Hachimura will miss his 12th consecutive contest due to left knee patellar tendinopathy. The 27-year-old could be back in action soon, though, as he's returned to 3-on-3 work during practice. His next chance to make his long-awaited return is Saturday against the Bulls. However, since he's been out for over three weeks, the Lakers may ease Hachimura back into play, limiting his fantasy appeal.

According to Khobi Price of The Orange County Register, Los Angeles Lakers guardAustin Reaves (ankle) won't play against the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday. The 25-year-old will miss the second leg of a back-to-back set to manage a sprained right ankle. Reaves, on Wednesday against the Nuggets, finished with 22 points, five rebounds, eight assists, two steals, and one block in 36 minutes of work. Luka Doncic (ankle) is also unavailable, while Dorian Finney-Smith (ankle) and Jarred Vanderbilt (groin) are listed as doubtful, leaving the Lakers potentially very shorthanded for the contest. Several minutes and extra scoring opportunities could be available this evening for players like Gabe Vincent,Jordan Goodwin, and Dalton Knecht.

ESPN's Dave McMenamin reports that Los Angeles Lakers point guardLuka Doncic(ankle) will not play against the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday. Tonight's game is the second half of a back-to-back set, and Doncic will sit out to manage his right ankle sprain. He finished with 31 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, one block and two steals across 32 minutes in a120-108 victory over the Nuggets on Wednesday. With Austin Reaves (ankle) also sidelined, Shake Milton, Gabe Vincent, and Jordan Godwin will likely see an uptick in minutes and scoring opportunities than usual.

Los Angeles Lakers point guard Luka Doncic (ankle) will play in Wednesday's big Western Conference showdown against the Denver Nuggets. His status has been upgraded from probable to available. Doncic has a chance to register a fifth consecutive double-double on Wednesday. His average numbers for the month have been close to a triple-double, as the Slovenian superstar has posted 30.8 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 9.5 assists, along with 2.1 steals.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (groin) will miss a sixth straight game on Wednesday against the Denver Nuggets. He continues to work his way back from a left groin strain suffered against the Boston Celtics on March 8. James is also expected to miss the second leg of a back-to-back on Thursday against the Milwaukee Bucks. During James' absence, Jordan Goodwin has joined the starting lineup, while Austin Reaves has significantly increased his offensive output. Over the last five games, Reaves has averaged 28.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 7.6 assists.