Lakers Injury Report: 4 LA Role Players Ruled Out Vs Pistons

When your 28-26 Los Angeles Lakers host the 8-44 Detroit Pistons tonight at 7:30 p.m. PT, they'll be doing so without four critical (sort of) role players.

But you probably knew that.

As had been expected (and as has been confirmed by the NBA's latest injury report), four Los Angeles bench role players will linger on the sidelines for tonight's matchup against the Pistons. 

Second-year shooting guard Max Christie and 2019 lottery pick-turned-reclamation project Cam Reddish, both dealing with right ankle sprains, are slated to rejoin LA following this weekend's impending All-Star break (Christie has been pretty good this year, but not good enough to earn an invite to All-Star weekend's Rookie-Sophomore Game, so he's not missing anything). 

Defensive-oriented combo forward Jarred Vanderbilt and backup point guard Gabe Vincent, however, are on the shelf for an undefined longer window. Vincent, who's only been healthy for a whopping five games since signing on with LA on a three-year, $33 million deal over the summer, has essentially been replaced for the immediate (and perhaps long-term future?) by fresh buyout market signing Spencer Dinwiddie, who'll make his debut for the Purple and Gold tonight.

Even with these good-but-limited contributors out, LA should still have be able to cover the game's projected -10.5 point spread at home (per the Action Network), against one of the worst teams in the NBA.

Lakers All-Stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis are both currently considered questionable to suit up, but with a rare three days off between games, my money is on both guys playing in what should represent an easy opportunity to compile stats in a hurry.