Lakers Injury Report: Los Angeles Starter Ruled Out for Second Half vs Kings

A key Los Angeles player is done for the night.

Dec 19, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Kevin Huerter (9) is fouled by Los Angeles Lakers guard Gabe Vincent (7) in the third quarter at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images / Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Lakers guard Gabe Vincent, who started against the Sacramento Kings with All-NBA power forward LeBron James sidelined due to an injury, is sitting out the contest's second half with an oblique strain, reports The Athletic's Jovan Buha. Buha notes that bench small forward Cam Reddish, who had been downgraded to questionable for the second half with back spasms, has been made available to the shorthanded Lakers.

Rookie swingman Dalton Knecht opened the contest's second half in Vincent's stead.

Now, only nine of the Lakers' 15 standard roster players are officially available against the 13-18 Kings, hungry for a victory after losing five straight and now-former head coach Mike Brown. Reserve center Jaxson Hayes, who had been activated following a month-long ankle injury absence prior to the game, has yet to suit up, so his availability may be just a technicality.

As of this writing, the Lakers lead the Kings by single digits, 94-85, with 3:38 remaining in the third quarter.

Power forward Rui Hachihmura has logged 21 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field (including an immaculate 4-of-4 from deep) and 3-of-3 shooting from the foul line, plus four rebounds and two blocks. All-NBA center Anthony Davis has a 21-point, 11-rebound double-double, and with six assists has at least an outside shot at notching a triple-double before the night is through.

Starting small forward Max Christie has 13 points on an efficient 4-of-6 field goal shooting line (2-of-3 from deep) and 3-of-3 shooting from the charity stripe, while starting shooting guard Austin Reaves has a 19-point, 10-assist double-double. Vincent played just 6:55 of action, scoring zero points on 0-of-1 shooting. He did log a rebound and a turnover, while registering a respectable +9 plus-minus during his limited minutes.

Reddish has yet to score, either, but has played double digit minutes off the bench, while logging an assist, a steal and a board during his minutes thus far.

Although they're far healthier than the Lakers, the Kings find themselves in the midst of some major internal turmoil. Their pricey sign-and-trade for six-time All-Star small forward DeMar DeRozan has gravely slowed their offense and taken the ball out of the hands of the team's two best players, All-Star point guard De'Aaron Fox and All-Star center Domantas Sabonis. The club's offense has been out-of-sorts all year, while its defense has looked more porous than before. Brown being let go doesn't really address the real issue at the heart of Sacramento's problems: its fraught team-building.

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