D’Angelo Russell, the most recent addition to the Lakers, fell victim to the all-too-common fate of getting injured this season, as he suffered a sprained right ankle during Thursday’s victory over the Warriors.
This incident serves as a reminder that even newly-acquired Lakers are not exempt from the inevitability of sustaining injuries.
— Brad Turner (@BA_Turner) February 25, 2023
During the opening quarter of the game, Russell sustained the injury and was promptly ruled out for the remainder of the night. Following the game, Lakers’ head coach Darvin Ham confirmed that Russell’s condition would be reassessed on Friday.
Ham added that "there’s no structural damage" in Russell's right ankle and, "it’s going to be a day-by-day thing." Russell will join the Lakers' on their road trip, per the team. They will put out a status update on him on Saturday afternoon. https://t.co/tGsP92mceP
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) February 24, 2023
True to his word, Ham issued an update the following day, indicating that the point guard was unlikely to participate in Sunday’s matchup against the Dallas Mavericks. As a result, Russell has been labeled “doubtful” on the team’s official injury report.
Russell’s departure from the game was the result of an unfortunate and unusual injury, which appears to be a recurring issue for the Los Angeles Lakers this season.
During an inbound play, Russell accidentally stepped on the foot of Donte DiVincenzo, who had just scored on him and was moving out-of-bounds. Despite the setback, Russell persevered and remained on the court for just over a minute before leaving the game.
However, after his exit, Russell headed to the locker room and was subsequently ruled out for the rest of the game. Although the outlook seemed promising at first, his injury ultimately forced him to sit out.
"Sore. Any other ankle injury the same thing. Sore, try and bounce back tomorrow and see how it feels. Get some meds in me, some rehab. Be alright." – D'Angelo Russell on his ankle. Said it was "wrong place, wrong time."
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) February 24, 2023
When Russell spoke with reporters, he discussed the state of his ankle. He also shared anticipated timeline for recovery. Fortunately, the injury does not seem to be a major concern.
It allows the Los Angeles Lakers to avoid a potential crisis as they strive to secure a spot in the playoffs.
However, with a condensed schedule on the horizon and each game crucial to their playoff aspirations, the Los Angeles Lakers will undoubtedly require Russell’s swift return to the court.
As previously mentioned, if Russell is unable to play in Sunday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks, his next potential opportunities to return would be against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday or the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday.
During Russell’s absence, Austin Reaves and Dennis Schroder are likely to see increased playing time, with Ham opting to start Schroder in the second half of Thursday’s game after Russell’s injury.
