One night after the Lakers beat the Clippers 103-87 without him, Luka Doncic has been upgraded from out. His back and Ziaire Williams's foot now both point to Friday, Oct. 30, at Golden State as the night they return.
The Lead Returns to Set
Doncic's back injury no longer has him ruled out, and the timing matters. He is scoring 36.0 points a game with 8.3 assists, and the Lakers went 1-0 without him, thanks to a defense that held the Clippers to 87. Williams, a 46.7 percent shooter from deep, has also been upgraded. Cameron Carr (right oblique) and Adou Thiero (left knee) are still listed out, both pointed at Oct. 30. The roster also changed at the margins: the Lakers signed center Lawson Lovering, 23, to a two-way contract and waived AK Okereke.
A Depleted Warriors Team
Friday's game at Golden State is a Cup group-stage game, streamed on Prime Video. The Warriors are 2-3 and have won two straight, and Stephen Curry is averaging 28.8 points across four games. Yaxel Lendeborg is giving them 22.6 points and 9.2 rebounds. Kristaps Porzingis, Jimmy Butler III and Moses Moody are out, and Gui Santos carries a left knee listing. The Lakers beat this team 127-105 on Oct. 21.
The Other End of the Floor
The number to watch is 112.3, the Lakers' defensive rating, set against an offense rated 122.5. A net of plus-10.2 is what a 4-1 team looks like, but the 136 points Portland scored on Oct. 27 still hang over them. Silver Screen and Roll and Lakers Nation both reported that Walker Kessler took responsibility for that night's defense. The open question is whether the effort that smothered the Clippers holds once the offense runs through Doncic again.
Will Luka Doncic play against the Warriors on Oct. 30?
He has been upgraded from out with a back injury, and Oct. 30 is listed as his return date. A final decision has not been announced.
Who is Lawson Lovering?
Lovering is a 23-year-old center the Lakers signed to a two-way contract on Oct. 29. AK Okereke was waived at the same time.
