LeBron James and Rui Hachimura were home sick. Anthony Davis was in the back getting his injured ankle treated. D’Angelo Russell and Jaxson Hayes weren’t healthy enough to participate in a full practice.
And still, there was optimism.
Friday marked the beginning of a stretch when the Lakers truly can unpack and get comfortable, the rigors of the NBA and its travel schedule about to slow down for the longest stretch of their season. Beginning Saturday against Sacramento, 11 of their next 14 games are in Los Angeles. Ten will be at home (one will be the Lakers’ Intuit Dome debut against the Clippers).
Heading into Friday’s games around the NBA, the Lakers (17-13) had played a conference-high 17 road games, tied with the Utah Jazz for most in the West. Only the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers had played more road games.
“We’ve played together, tried to play the right way,” coach JJ Redick said after practice. “I think our game plan discipline has been really good. So I like where our team is at. I like where our team is trending. I’m going to really like it when we’re completely healthy.”
Hachimura and James are questionable for Saturday because of illnesses. Davis also will be listed as questionable because of the ankle injury he suffered in the first quarter on Christmas. He told The Times after the game that he expected to be “fine.”
Russell, who missed that win over the Golden State Warriors, was able to take part in the noncontact portions of Friday’s practice with his sprained thumb and seemed on track to return against the Kings (13-18). And Hayes, who has played just once since Nov. 10 because of consecutive injuries to his right ankle, also participated in some noncontact portions of practice. He appears close to returning after Redick termed him “day to day.”
Redick said Hayes “moved well” in practice Friday, the Lakers close to adding a dynamic big man back to their bench lineups.
“Offensively for us, just the rim running, the pace with which he’s able to get from one action to the next as a big. He’s really good in the half court at screening, rolling, getting back to a second action. And [Russell], with some of the lob stuff, he just, he puts pressure on the rim as a roller,” Redick said of what the Lakers have missed without Hayes. “And then defensively, he had his best stretch for us prior to being injured. He had a four- or five-game stretch where he was great on both ends and he was also crashing. He was getting offensive rebounds for us. So we’ve missed him.”
The Lakers don’t have timetables for Christian Wood and Jared Vanderbilt, who both have yet to play this season. However, Redick said he hoped both would be back during this stretch of home games.
Asked about potential evaluations of the roster prior to the Feb. 6. trade deadline, Redick said he thinks a complete Lakers roster is good enough to fight.
“Rob [Pelinka, GM] and I, we talk all the time, but my focus is on coaching this group and trying to maximize this group,” Redick said. “Frankly, I have belief that when this group is healthy, we can compete. If there’s a move to be made, there’s a move to be made, but I’m focused on this group.”
