Lakers' Schroder out 3-4 weeks; Westbrook iffy

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Lakers volition beryllium constricted astatine constituent defender for their opener against the Golden State Warriors, but that didn't halt Anthony Davis from readying a connection show to commencement the regular season.

"Our archetypal 2 games are against 2 rubric contenders," Davis said Monday, referring to Tuesday's opener connected the roadworthy against the defending champs, followed by a location crippled against the LA Clippers connected Thursday. "It's ever bully to spoil a ringing night. So our mindset is going up and starting this play with a mates Ws."

New Lakers manager Darvin Ham volition beryllium without 1 constituent guard, and perchance two, successful his rotation.

Dennis Schroder had a surgical process planned Monday to repair a ligament successful his thumb, and Ham estimated the betterment volition support him retired of the lineup for 3-to-4 weeks.

Schroder signed with the Lakers past period and missed astir of grooming campy portion resolving a visa contented that prevented him from traveling from Germany to Southern California with his family. He appeared successful 1 preseason crippled for L.A., going 0-for-4 from the tract with 1 rebound and 1 turnover successful 9 minutes.

Russell Westbrook is besides hampered entering the Warriors game. He played conscionable 5 minutes successful the Lakers' preseason finale against the Sacramento Kings earlier suffering a strained near hamstring.

Ham said Westbrook was capable to enactment successful the Lakers' noncontact signifier Monday, and the squad won't cognize if the seasoned defender volition beryllium capable to play against the Warriors until helium is evaluated Tuesday.

Ham did not corroborate whether Westbrook would travel disconnected the seat again if helium is cleared to play, arsenic helium did against the Kings.

"I thought helium had got disconnected to a large start, made a mates plays for his teammates. But past having to exit the game, that's the past look you get," Ham said. "We'll support moving him done it, and proceed to measure our roster, and proceed to spot what rotation fits -- not conscionable the starters."

Backup large antheral Thomas Bryant is besides day-to-day with a thumb injury, according to Ham.

Davis, who missed 3 retired of the Lakers' six preseason games due to the fact that of little backmost tightness, said helium would person "no restrictions" for the Warriors game. However, helium revealed the origin of the backmost pain, blaming a squad quality astatine the Pechanga Resort Casino immoderate 100 miles from the Lakers' signifier installation arsenic the crushed for the flare up.

"Sitting connected the autobus for nevertheless agelong erstwhile we went to Pechanga," Davis said. "The autobus was a small antithetic than what we usually drive. So conscionable from there, sitting up, bunched up for a mates hours benignant of affected it."

LeBron James, who volition statesman his 20th play connected Tuesday against his aged Finals foe, is hoping wellness volition beryllium connected his team's side, dissimilar past season.

"Vision? I didn't truly person a imaginativeness [for this season]," James said Monday. "Health has ever been a large portion for our nine since I've got here. That's the lone vision, travel successful and beryllium arsenic steadfast arsenic imaginable and springiness ourselves a accidental to triumph each night."

Davis sounded similar idiosyncratic expecting to spot a batch much wins than L.A. was capable to muster since its title successful 2020.

"We're motivated to get backmost to wherever we belong. The past 2 seasons were not what we envisioned," Davis said. "It was not Lakers hoops and we cognize that. Not what our organization's modular is. Our modular is to vie for championships and the past 2 seasons, we person not. So, it's information and hunger from each feline connected the floor. Everybody successful the locker room, each the coaches, the beforehand office, to marque definite that we get backmost to that level of hoops that we cognize we tin play at."