The Los Angeles Lakers are fighting to move up in the NBA Play-In Tournament standings. They are currently jostling between the 9th and 10th spots with the Golden State Warriors but would love to move up even further to make their path to the postseason a little easier.
Unfortunately, they will have to do that while facing another injury. According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, big man Christian Wood will be sidelined for multiple weeks as he underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee.
The Lakers haven’t had Wood in the lineup for more than a month already, as he was experiencing swelling in the knee during the NBA All-Star Break. Prior to the injury, Wood had a pretty regular spot in the team’s rotation, coming off the bench behind Anthony Davis.
With only 13 games remaining in the regular season, it is fair to wonder whether or not we will see Wood back on the court for the Lakers this season. Missing what will be more than two months of game action could put him too far behind the eight ball to get into the rotation other than spot minutes in the postseason.
During the 2024 NBA offseason, Wood signed a one-year deal for the veteran’s minimum to join the Lakers. He has had some moments showcasing his offensive ability and other skills, but they haven’t been there as consistently as the team would have liked.
In 50 games, with one start, Wood has averaged 6.9 points and 5.1 rebounds. He has not been as efficient shooting this season as in past years, as he is making only 30.7 percent of his 3-point attempts, which is the second-lowest single-season percentage in his career.
Without Wood in the lineup, the Lakers have been turning to Jaxson Hayes as their big man off the bench. Head coach Darvin Ham has gone small at times as well depending on the matchup, using Rui Hachimura and LeBron James in the middle in certain situations, too.
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