Lakers, Trail Blazers Announce Starting Lineups for Monday Game

The Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers are both looking to pull off a win on the second night of a back-to-back, in their 7:30 p.m. PT tilt at Crypto.com Arena in LA.

Los Angeles in particular is the walking wounded, with a whopping five rotation players set to be on the shelf.

The Portland Trail Blazers, of course, are not without major health problems of their own, although one name is going to be a constant throughout the season anyway.

Per Portland's public relations team, oft-injured All-Defensive Team vets Robert Williams III and Matisse Thybulle will sit out. Williams is rehabilitating with the Trail Blazers' G League affiliate, the Rip City Remix, and Thybulle has a sore hip.

Point guard Scoot Henderson is recovering from a hamstring tear. Nine-time All-Star point guard Damian Lillard is on the mend from a left Achilles tendon rupture, but he himself has stated that he's out for the year anyway, so this isn't a surprise.

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For Los Angeles, the injury news is a bit more dire.

Both of LA's All-Stars, power forward LeBron James (sciatica) and guard Luka Doncic, will be out for the next week — with James likely out through mid-November. More troublingly, however, both James' and Doncic's backups are also down for the count.

Guard Gabe Vincent was seen in a walking boot after LA's 127-120 victory against the Sacramento Kings on Monday. He departed the matchup with a left ankle injury, and although X-rays proved negative, it seems that Los Angeles is taking an abundance of caution with such a quick turnaround.

Three-time All-Defensive Team guard Marcus Smart has a right quad contusion and will miss the action, too.

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All told, seven Lakers will be sidelined. Backup big men Jaxson Hayes and Maxi Kleber remain out, as does rookie forward Adou Thiero — who has yet to make his pro debut for Los Angeles.

The First Fives

Now, Lakers head coach JJ Redick has revealed his starting five for the matchup.

Joining guard Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton — the Lakers' only healthy starters — will be forwards Jake LaRavia and Jarred Vanderbilt. LaRavia will add some floor spacing, while Vanderbilt by default becomes LA's best point-of-attack defender.