The Lakers will play one more game this week before heading into the All-Star break. Before they get 8 days off while the league's best and brightest play out in Cleveland, they have to take on the Utah Jazz at home.
The latest injury report for that contest on Wednesday was released, and the Lakers will be without one starter. Avery Bradley is listed as out with an injury to his right knee. The report specifies it as a right knee effusion, which can be liquid or swelling in the knee.
Bradley has started 42 of the 49 games that he has played for the Lakers this season. Overall, he is averaging 6.6 points and shooting 38 percent from beyond the arc. He is also shooting 41 percent from the field and hitting 85.7 percent of his free throw opportunities.
That could open up more opportunities for Austin Reaves and Malik Monk in this contest. Both guys have been incredibly effective off of the bench, especially as of late. Monk is averaging 16 points per game this month and shooting 44 percent from the field.
Reaves is getting a lot of minutes this month and showing what he can do defensively. He has averaged 20.5 minutes per game in the month of February and continues to be in the right spots for Frank Vogel.
But the Lakers will be without Avery Bradley, and they will need some help defensively to compensate. That might be one reason that Reaves sees more time in this game without AB's help.
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