Every time JJ Redick and his men prove their worth, they fall flat, again. Most recently, after a 6-0 run, the LA Lakers suffered two embarrassing losses, especially the last blow-out against the Denver Nuggets. On the other hand, the Phoenix Suns have lost their spark after Kevin Durant’s injury absence, as they are currently stuck in a 1-6 stretch. In short, both teams are looking to reclaim their winning form. Amid this situation, the Valley side has two positive updates, and LA has a mixed update involving Anthony Davis.
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Let’s take a look at the LakeShow first. After playing six seasons with the LA side, AD didn’t receive crucial help, which is a big backup to share his load. While Dwight Howard was of big help in the 2020 championship, following that, the Lakers didn’t really find a replacement. And it eventually brought about injuries. This season, the team managed to put together two pure bigs, Jaxson Hayes and Christian Koloko. However, it was already too late. The superstar had developed a “nagging foot injury” called plantar fasciitis.
While there isn’t any structural damage, Anthony Davis has had to deal with it for a substantial stretch of his LA career. And, for the Tuesday night game against the Suns, the team has listed him as probable.
Jaxon Hayes is officially off the injury report, with the Lakers set to take on the Suns tmw in PHX
At the same time, Jaxson Hayes, who missed the last six games with an ankle injury, has finally gotten out of the injury report, making himself available for Tuesday. However, the backup center may have to likely fill in the big man’s position in AD’s absence. But with one of them missing, the LA side’s frontcourt is severely hampered, in turn ruining Jaxson’s comeback to the side in a way.
So, apart from Davis’ uncertainty, the team has a few names listed in the report.
| Anthony Davis | Probable | Plantar Fasciitis |
| Bronny James | Out | Left heel contusion |
| Jarred Vanderbilt | Out | Right foot surgery recovery |
| Christian Wood | Out | Left knee surgery recovery |
| Jalen Hood-Schifino | – | South Bay Lakers |
The Suns’ injury report hasn’t changed for a while and it’s affecting the team’s run on the floor. Devin Booker, who is single-handedly carrying the side, hasn’t had much help after Kevin Durant‘s injury. Above all, two games after KD’s injury, Bradley Beal has also suffered a calf setback, leaving him to miss 5-straight games. However, ahead of the Lakers’ clash, the team has a sort of 50-50 update.
Mike Budenholzer updated that both KD and Beal did “everything” in practice on Monday. Moreover, the ESPN injury report stated both the stars are ‘planning’ to return to the floor on Tuesday. So, we’ll have to wait to witness the reality, but until then both are out.
| Kevin Durant | Out | Calf |
| Bradley Beal | Out | Calf |
| Collin Gillespie | Out | Right ankle fracture |
Anthony Davis & Co. vs Suns: Starting lineup and depth chart
After the blow-out loss against the Nuggets, all eyes are on JJ Redick once again. The 40-year-old, who has already made three changes to the starting lineup, might have to make another change with Anthony Davis listed as probable for the Tuesday night action.
Los Angeles Lakers
| POSITION | STARTING LINE | 2nd Unit | 3rd Unit |
| PG | Austin Reaves | D’Angelo Russell | – |
| SG | Cam Reddish | Gabe Vincent | – |
| SF | Rui Hachimura | Dalton Knecht | Max Christie |
| PF | LeBron James | Maxwell Lewis | – |
| C | Jaxson Hayes | Christian Koloko | – |
Phoenix Suns
| POSITION | STARTING LINE | 2nd Unit | 3rd Unit |
| PG | Tyus Jones | Monte Morris | TyTy Washington Jr. |
| SG | Devin Booker | Grayson Allen | Damion Lee |
| SF | Royce O’Neale | Josh Okogie | – |
| PF | Ryan Dunn | Oso Ighodaro | – |
| C | Jusuf Nurkic | Mason Plumlee | Bol Bol |
The Valley side lacks the firepower in the absence of KD and Beal. Should Coach Budenholzer’s positive words on the superstars’ fitness materialize into a return, then the fans surely have a treat to witness on Tuesday. Who do you think will win the contest if Kevin Durant returns to the lineup? Let us know in the comments.
Latest update: Moments before the tip-off, Suns coach Mike Budenholzer has confirmed that both Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal would return to action tonight, as per Gerald Bourgeut. Notably, KD and Beal would be on minutes restrictions.
And, Anthony Davis, who was listed probable for the game, has been upgraded to available!