Los Angeles Lakers DVOA, Stats, & NBA Rankings

According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick said that forwardLeBron James (groin) has already been ruled out for Thursday's matchup against the Bucks and Friday's matchup against the Nuggets, and is considered day-to-day moving forward. James' streak of missed games will extend to three after Friday's contest due to a left-groin strain. Despite being out of action for the next two games, the 40-year-old star forward could potentially return to the floor on Sunday against the Suns. In 10 outings since the All-Star game, he has posted averages of 28.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.1 blocks and 1.0 steals during 36.5 minutes per game.

Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes (knee) is out for Thursday's game against Milwaukee. The 24-year-old missed the last two games because of a bruised right knee. He's still dealing with swelling, so it's unknown if he'll be healthy enough to return when the Lakers play the Nuggets on Friday night. Alex Len got the start in Monday's loss to the Brooklyn Nets. However, Len only logged 13 minutes and finished with two rebounds, two assists, and one block. Jarred Vanderbilt and Trey Jemison III also got on the floor. Still, the duo combined for only nine points. With that in mind, Len, Vanderbilt, and Jemison may split time underneath the basket on Thursday, meaning they may not be worth starting in any fantasy format.

Los Angeles Lakers point guard Luka Doncic (ankle) has been listed as questionable for Thursday's marquee matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks. Last weekend, Doncic battled a back problem, and he is now on the injury report with right ankle soreness. If Doncic is out on Thursday, Austin Reaves should run the backcourt, with Gabe Vincent and Jordan Goodwin stepping into more prominent roles. Both players enjoyed strong starts to the week, as Vincent scored a team-high 24 points in Monday's loss to the Brooklyn Nets, while Goodwin produced 17 points off the bench.

Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes (knee) won't play on Monday in Brooklyn. The Lakers won eight-straight games before suffering a loss to the Celtics on Saturday night. Not only that, but the team saw LeBron James (groin) go down, with the multi-time All-Star anticipated to miss at least a few weeks. Dorian Finney-Smith (ankle) and Rui Hachimura (knee) are also out, and Luka Doncic (back) is questionable. But as far as the middle is concerned, Jarred Vanderbilt, who had four points, eight boards, and two steals versus Boston, will likely remain in the starting lineup. Vanderbilt isn't the most productive scorer on the planet. But he could get more involved if Doncic is ruled out.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (back) is dealing with back soreness on Monday and has been listed as questionable for their matchup with the Brooklyn Nets. With LeBron James (groin) sidelined, Doncic will have to pull out all of the heroics that he displayed in Dallas. Through 11 games with the Lakers, he's averaging 24.7 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.6 assists, 1.8 steals, and 4.1 turnovers per game. His efficiency may not be the same since changing teams, but his stats remain undeniably elite across the board. If he's unable to suit up, Austin Reaves will have to take on the scoring load while Dorian Finney-Smith and Dalton Knecht likely see huge bumps in usage.