COVID-ravaged Lakers, Nets limp into marquee Christmas game

LeBron James’ newest foray into the NBA’s Christmas Day showcase is not going to be the star-studded affair the league anticipated when the schedule got here out in the course of August.

James will seem in his sixteenth Christmas Day recreation Saturday when his struggling Los Angeles Lakers host the Brooklyn Nets, who will welcome again James Harden however can be with out Kevin Durant and stay considerably short-handed as a result of league’s COVID-19 well being and security protocols.

“It is a recreation that each groups wish to win, it doesn’t matter what circumstances,” James mentioned. “Is it going to be one of many premier video games that I am accustomed to enjoying on Christmas Day? No. So many guys out. You realize this entire protocol factor has gotten loads worse for lots of the groups within the league proper now.”

James will tie Kobe Bryant for essentially the most Christmas Day appearances. James (383) additionally wants 13 factors to cross the late Lakers’ legend for essentially the most factors within the showcase.

However this model of the Lakers is struggling to search out its footing, particularly since Anthony Davis suffered a sprained MCL on Dec. 17. Davis is out till mid-January, and since then Avery Bradley, Kent Bazemore, Malik Monk, Austin Reaves and Trevor Ariza — together with coach Frank Vogel — have entered the well being and security protocols.

Los Angeles is on a season-worst four-game skid though James has scored no less than 30 factors in three straight video games. He scored 36 factors Thursday, but it surely occurred in an unsightly 138-110 dwelling loss to the San Antonio Spurs when the Lakers allowed their second-most factors of the season and a season-worst 18 3-pointers.

“We now have no chemistry with any lineup from the easy indisputable fact that we have not logged any minutes,” James mentioned. “All of our defensive guys are in well being and security protocols. We do not want a full roster. We simply want a few of our guys again.”

By all indications, the Lakers usually are not getting any gamers again from the well being and security protocols. They may get reinforcements within the type of Darren Collison and Stanley Johnson, who inked 10-day contracts Friday.

The Nets will play for the primary time since a 100-93 dwelling loss to the Orlando Magic on Dec. 18. Since then they noticed video games in opposition to the Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards and Portland Path Blazers postponed attributable to a lot of their roster getting into the well being and security protocols.

When the Nets final took the ground, they had been with out 9 gamers, together with Kyrie Irving, who is simply eligible to play in highway video games attributable to his vaccination standing.

Harden missed three video games however was cleared Thursday, together with Paul Millsap and Jevon Carter. De’Andre Bembry was cleared Friday.

Durant will miss his second straight recreation after getting into the protocol and fourth total attributable to a since-healed ankle harm. The Nets additionally can be with out veterans Bruce Brown, James Johnson and LaMarcus Aldridge together with rookies Day’Ron Sharpe, Cam Thomas, David Duke Jr. and Kessler Edwards, who crammed in admirably final week.

“We simply do the perfect we will,” Brooklyn coach Steve Nash mentioned Friday. “We received a variety of guys coming off an prolonged break. No person’s in nice situation so now we have to handle the group, attempt to be as aggressive as doable and on the similar time, watch out.

“Guys popping out and enjoying a recreation after an absence like that is difficult. We’ll do what we will. Quite a lot of these choices are nonetheless to be made earlier than the sport, through the recreation, as the sport goes on, so we simply should be very fluid, adaptable and take it as an excellent alternative.”

–Discipline Stage Media