Lakers News: Mo Bamba Won’t Return Against Warriors Due to Ankle Injury

LA loses another key rotational piece mid-game.

Your Los Angeles Lakers just can't catch a break.

For the third time in the Lakers' last four games, another key rotational piece for Los Angeles has suffered an injury mid-game. 

Starting point guard D'Angelo Russell rolled his ankle last Thursday against the Golden State Warriors and had to exit immediately. All-Star small forward LeBron James re-aggravated a sore right foot Sunday against the Dallas Mavericks but opted to stay in the game to help LA secure the win. Neither James or Russell have played since. 

Russell's replacement as the team's starting point guard, Dennis Schröder, rolled his left ankle after stepping on the foot of Oklahoma City Thunder forward Isaiah Joe on March 1st, but opted to stay in the game and has not missed any time since.

Today, it's reserve center Mo Bamba, who incurred a left ankle sprain during the first half and has been ruled out for the rest of today's afternoon battle against the visiting Warriors, per Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

The game's second half is presently underway.

Bamba, the former No. 6 pick in the 2018 draft out of the University of Texas at Austin, appeared in just 2:03 of action today off the bench for Los Angeles, going 0-for-2 from the field to score zero points, but he did have two rebounds in his limited run.

Across his six games as a Laker, Bamba is averaging 5.2 points on .455/.357/.545 shooting splits, 5.8 rebounds and 0.7 blocks a night, in just 13.1 minutes. Backup power forward/center Wenyen Gabriel, a poorer shooter and smaller player (6'9" to Bamba's seven feet) but more consistent defender, should absorb Bamba's minutes.

Missing Bamba for any extended period of time would be yet another blow for the team's rotation. Even though he has been playing sparingly for his new team, the 3-and-D big man gives LA an added floor-spacing dimension that would be missed.

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