This Sunday , the Los Angeles Lakers (43-39) will try to take home-court advantage against the Memphis Grizzlies (51-31) in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series.
The Lakers just defeated Minnesota 108-102, while the Grizzlies were defeated by Oklahoma City 115-100. LA is 6-4 in its last ten games against Memphis. The regular season series was won by them 2-1.
Update Injury for Los Angeles Lakers – Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies, seeded second, have had a week off to prepare for the postseason, while the Lakers, seeded seventh, defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves in overtime in Tuesday’s play-in game.
In the Lakers’ 108-102 victory over the Wolves, James (30 points, 10 rebounds) and Anthony Davis (24 points, 15 rebounds).
Davis had three shots blocked as the Los Angeles defense held Minnesota to 12 points in the fourth quarter and four points in overtime.
Davis was instrumental in Los Angeles’ late-season surge, scoring 30-plus points eight times since March 3. During that time, the Lakers went 13-6, putting them in position to host the play-in game.
Their reward is a matchup with a Memphis team that won 51 regular-season games and finished second in the West by two games.
The Lakers, however, won the season series 2-1, capped by a 112-103 victory on March 7. Davis had 30 points and 22 rebounds in that game, which was played without James and Morant.
Davis has a right foot stress injury and is listed as probable for this game.
AD has been listed on the injury report on a regular basis this season, but he is expected to be available for the series opener against the Grizzlies with no restrictions.
LeBron James has right foot soreness but has been listed as probable for Game 1 against the Grizzlies on Sunday, according to Harrison Faigen of SBNation.com.
James has been a regular name on the Lakers’ injury report, but he will most likely be available for the series opener against Memphis with no restrictions.
- READ ALSO: LeBron James injury status of The Lakers
The Grizzlies struggled in the final week of the season, splitting their final four games. They’ll try to get back on track with a win over the Lakers, which would be their third in five games.
Ja Morant is the driving force behind the Memphis offense, averaging 26.2 points and 8.1 assists per game.
Morant missed the Grizzlies’ regular-season finale due to soreness in his right hand, but he was cleared to play on Sunday.
Given that he has had a full week off from game action, Morant should be ready to go and resume his starting point guard position.
On the other end, Memphis will try to contain Los Angeles without one of its stoppers. Steven Adams, who led the team in rebounding with 11.5 per game during the regular season, could miss the playoffs due to a knee injury that has kept him out since January.
As a result, Jaren Jackson Jr., one of three finalists named Friday for the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award, will have to shoulder more responsibility against Los Angeles’ Davis.
Jackson had a league-high 3.0 blocks per game and was instrumental in Memphis finishing the regular season with the lowest opponent field-goal percentage in the NBA (.453).
Memphis was also the No. 2 seed last year, but they were eliminated in the Western Conference semifinals by eventual champion Golden State in a 4-2 series loss.
The Lakers did not make the playoffs last season and were eliminated in the first round by Phoenix in the 2020-21 postseason.
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Injury Report Grizzlies:
| PLAYER | INJURY | STATUS |
| Jake LaRavia | Calf | Expected to be out until at least Apr 19 |
| Steven Adams | Knee | Expected to be out until at least Jul 1 |
| Brandon Clarke | Achilles | Out for the season |
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Injury Report Lakers:
| PLAYER | INJURY | STATUS |
| LeBron James | Foot | Game Time Decision |
| Dennis Schroder | Achilles | Game Time Decision |
| Anthony Davis | Foot | Game Time Decision |
