The injury bug continued for the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night when Cam Reddish was forced out of the game with a groin strain.
Reddish suffered the injury in the first quarter of the Lakers’ win over the Utah Jazz. The injury left the Lakers with just nine available players, but it didn’t matter as they dominated Utah to finish out In-Season Tournament group play atop West Group A.
The severity of Reddish’s injury is not yet known although according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, he is not expected to play in the second end of the back-to-back against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday:
Cam Reddish is still experiencing soreness in his groin and will miss tonight’s game against the Mavericks, sources tell ESPN.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) November 22, 2023
Given the quick turnaround of the back-to-back, it isn’t surprising to see that Reddish is unable to go on Wednesday.
Coming into the season, it was unclear whether Reddish would even be part of the rotation as the Lakers’ depth would likely force at least one player who could contribute to be subjected to the bench. But Reddish got his opportunity and has been one of the more pleasant surprises of the year so far.
Of particular note has been Reddish’s defensive impact. The wing has the fourth most total steals in the NBA so far this year, trailing only Shai Gilgious-Alexander, Jalen Suggs and Paul George. With the Lakers down defensive ace Jarred Vanderbilt, Reddish has stepped up in becoming one of the team’s most reliable perimeter defenders.
Reddish has shined since given the opportunity for a bigger role as he was moved into the starting lineup after the Lakers got off to an inconsistent start to the season. In nine games as a starter, Reddish is averaging 9.6 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.2 steals while shooting an impressive 41.2% from 3-point range.
If Reddish has to miss any extended time, Darvin Ham will likely turn to second-year guard Max Christie, a player whom many were looking for to take a big leap after an impressive showing in Summer League. Christie has struggled so far this season but was solid on Tuesday after Reddish went down, finishing with seven points, five rebounds and four assists in 25 minutes.
Lakers’ LeBron James not surprised by Cam Reddish’s recent play
The Lakers surely hope this is something minor for Cam Reddish given how important he has been for the team. A former lottery pick, the talent has always been there for Reddish and because of that, LeBron James isn’t surprised by how well he is playing, noting that he just needed a team to believe in him.
“Nothing,” James said when asked what surprises him about Reddish’s play. “I already knew what Cam was capable of. Cam I think just needed someone to believe in him. A locker room to believe in him, guys that continue to stay on him and let him know how impressive he is, how special he is not only as a player but as a person as well.
“The talent is there, has always been there, sometimes guys just need a little helping hand, a little push.”
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