The Los Angeles Lakers are gearing up for a massive clash against the Toronto Raptors inside the Crypto.com Arena tonight. The Purple and Gold enter this game coming off an embarrassing 132-116 loss against the Portland Trail Blazers. This was the franchise’s fifth loss in its last six games, which has started to raise questions about its aspirations about emerging as a true contender this year.

So, it’s crystal clear that Los Angeles needs to pick up its slack starting today as they host the Raptors. But for that, the Lakers will need their superstar duo of LeBron James and Luka Doncic, whom they rely so heavily upon. So, will James and Doncic be available for tonight’s clash, or will they be watching their team from the sidelines?

Are Luka Doncic, LeBron James playing tonight against the Raptors?

Luka Doncic and LeBron James have arguably been the Lakers’ backbone this season. More so after Austin Reaves sustained an unfortunate injury not too long ago, having them on the court tonight will be crucial for Los Angeles, which is in dire need of a win tonight. The good news is that it might be the case after all.

That’s because LeBron James is not on the team’s injury report at the moment. This indicates that the veteran forward will be taking part in tonight’s game. Of course, this is a huge boost for the Lakers as, despite struggling with injuries early in the season, James has been able to make a turnaround midway through it.

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Right now, the Akron Hammer is averaging 22.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 6.9 assists per game. This alone is a great stat line, but what makes it even more impressive is the fact that he’s doing so despite being 41 years old. Nonetheless, while James is all set for tonight’s action. There are doubts surrounding his superstar teammate, Luka Doncic.

The 26-year-old point guard, who has been terrific this season, producing MVP-level numbers, could miss this game. This comes as a result of his being doubtful because of left groin soreness, which caused him to exit the last game early. His absence could be daunting for the Lakers, as Doncic has been instrumental for them so far.

He’s averaged 33.6 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 8.7 assists per game, which should give you an idea of just how important he is to the team. So, not having him on the court could spell disaster for the Lakers. More so, because they already have a lot on their plate in terms of injuries as they enter this game.

The Lakers vs the Raptors injury reports for January 18th

Here are all the latest updates on the rest of the players ahead of tonight’s game:

Los Angeles Lakers injury report

Apart from Luka Doncic, the Lakers could also miss other key stars tonight, including Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart. While Ayton is dealing with a knee injury, Smart could miss the game for undisclosed reasons. This could be huge for the Lakers, who are already quite hard hit with injuries. That’s because both of them are key players for the franchise.

Meanwhile, the Purple and Gold will also be without their star shooting guard, Austin Reaves, who is still recovering from a Grade 2 gastrocnemius strain. Reaves has been quite impressive this season. So, there’s no doubt that the Lakers are missing him big time. Nonetheless, even apart from him, LA will miss a few others.

Jaxson Hayes and Adou Thiero are those players. Both of them will miss their team’s tonight clash because of different injuries. On one hand, Hayes is struggling with a hamstring injury. On the other hand, Thiero is dealing with an MCL strain, which will keep him on the sidelines as well. That’s all from the host’s side, but what about the visitors?

Toronto Raptors injury report

As for Toronto, even they are quite hard hit with injuries, but maybe not as much as the Lakers. The Raptors will also miss plenty of their stars, including the likes of key players such as RJ Barrett, Jakob Poeltl, Ja’Kobe Walter, and a few others. While Barrett will miss this game because of an ankle issue, Walter and Poeltl are dealing with hip and back injuries, respectively.

This will be a huge bummer for the storied franchise. However, they cannot hang up on them as there’s more for them to worry about. That’s because Immanuel Quickley could also miss this game. This is because the Raptors guard is dealing with a back issue as we speak. Lastly, both Chucky Hepburn and Jamison Battle could also miss this game.

This comes as a result of Battle being questionable for the game because of an ankle injury. Meanwhile, Hepburn has been assigned to Toronto’s G League affiliate. Nonetheless, with these many injuries on both rosters, it will be interesting to see how both teams lineup for this matchup.

Predicted lineups for the Lakers vs the Raptors

Here’s how the Los Angeles Lakers could start without Luka Doncic:

And here’s how the Toronto Raptors could start amid their injury issues:

This would’ve been a one-sided affair had the Lakers been at their full strength. However, that’s no longer the case. So, it will be interesting to see who comes out on top as we eagerly await the tip-off.