After taking care of business in their season opener against the Sacramento Kings, the LA Clippers are facing a much tougher battle in the second game of the season. They will be in downtown Los Angeles to go up against the Lakers, who had a blowout victory over the Warriors in their first game.
The Clippers embark on a very difficult seven-game stretch where they face the Lakers twice, the Thunder, Raptors, Heat, and the Timberwolves. Getting a win over their intracity rivals will give the Clippers a major boost going forward.
Unfortunately, they will be at a disadvantage in terms of injuries heading into Friday night's clash. They continue to have a long injury report, with Bradley Beal, Brandon Ingram, Jordan Miller, Max Strus, and Yanic Konan Niederhauser all listed as out.
Clippers Still Missing Ingram, Beal, and Strus vs. Lakers
Beal is still dealing with injury management on his right knee, which he suffered during his ramp-up from last year's hip surgery. Ingram underwent heel surgery in the offseason to repair a partially torn Achilles and will miss several more weeks. Miller is expected to be sidelined for a few months as he underwent rotator cuff surgery in the offseason.
Strus suffered a plantar fascia injury on his right foot in the preseason opener. He is expected to miss a couple of weeks. Konan Niederhauser, who had a season-ending Lisfranc injury last season, is still ramping up.
This leaves several big holes in the Clippers' rotation. Without Konan Niederhauser, the Clippers only have two healthy centers on the roster: Isaiah Jackson and Brook Lopez. This will be a weakness for LA on most nights.
Without Beal and Ingram, the Clippers lack shot creation and scoring. This puts a lot on Darius Garland's shoulders. It also means an expanded role for Gradey Dick off the bench.
With Strus sidelined, the Clippers lose some shooting. They hope to get that from talented rookie Keaton Wagler. Not only will he play Strus' role as a backcourt partner for Garland at times, but he will also have backup point guard duties.
The Lakers, on the other hand, are in a better health situation. Walker Kessler, who was listed on the injury report with a left finger injury, is expected to be available. Among the players expected to be a consistent part of the rotation, only Jake LaRavia is listed as questionable to suit up. After he scored ten points in 18 minutes against the Warriors, LaRavia popped up on the injury report with an ankle sprain.
Adou Thierro and rookie Cameron Carr will miss their second straight game, but they likely wouldn't have been in the rotation even when healthy.
Regardless of who is available, the most important question for the Clippers will be how they will slow down Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. How Kris Dunn and Derrick Jones Jr. fare against them will be the deciding factor. If the Clippers are able to come away with the victory amid these injuries, the fanbase can start feeling pretty good about having a competitive team they can be proud of this season.
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