The 8-15 Portland Trail Blazers are on the road taking on the 12-11 Los Angeles Lakers. Both teams are currently dealing with adversity in the form of injuries and three-game losing streaks. One superstar headlining the injury report heading into the matchup is LeBron James, who is dealing with left foot soreness.
James was initially listed as questionable but has since been upgraded to probable, according to Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. James was previously at risk of missing Friday's game in their 134-132 loss to the Atlanta Hawks but was able to suit up. Barring a setback, it sounds like that will also be the case in this matchup.
UPDATE: LeBron James has been downgraded from probable to doubtful, Price reports. James is expected to miss his first game in 2024-25.
Lakers injury report vs. Blazers on Sunday, December 8
James isn't the only Lakers player dealing with an injury; here is the injury report for Los Angeles:
- LeBron James: OUT (foot)
- Anthony Davis: AVAILABLE (plantar fasciitis)
- Austin Reaves: OUT (pelvis)
- Jarred Vanderbilt: OUT (knee)
- Jaxson Hayes: OUT (ankle)
- Christian Wood: OUT (knee)
Portland Trail Blazers injury report
The Blazers are also dealing with several injuries of their own, which has played a role in their three-game losing streak. This is their injury report:
- Donovan Clingan: OUT (knee sprain)
- Matisse Thybulle: OUT (ankle sprain)
- Robert Williams III: OUT (concussion protocol)
- Toumani Camara: AVAILABLE (foot sprain)
UPDATE: Sean Highkin of Rip City Radio 620 reports that Camara has been upgraded from questionable to available. Previously listed as doubtful, Camara won't miss a game due to his foot sprain suffered against Utah.
- Duop Reath: OUT (back soreness)
- Scoot Henderson: AVAILABLE (quad contusion)
UPDATE: Scoot Henderson is also available to play, according to Highkin. Henderson has been out since Nov. 27.
Projected starting lineups for Blazers vs. Lakers
Trail Blazers starting lineup
Here is what Portland's starting five should look like:
- PG: Anfernee Simons
- SG: Shaedon Sharpe
- SF: Toumani Camara
UPDATE: With Toumani Camara upgraded to available, Deni Avdija will return to a bench role.
- PF: Jerami Grant
- C: Deandre Ayton
Lakers starting lineup
The Lakers also have a starter of their own listed as doubtful in Austin Reaves. Here is who JJ Redick decided to start in their game against Atlanta with Reaves out:
- PG: Gabe Vincent
- SG: Max Christie
UPDATE: With James downgraded to out, Christie is in line to start, sliding Knecht to small forward and Hachimura to power forward.
- SF: Dalton Knecht
- PF: Rui Hachimura
- C: Anthony Davis
Reddick put Gabe Vincent into the starting lineup in place of D'Angelo Russell, who came off the bench against the Hawks. Vincent has struggled so far in 2024-25 but had an efficient game as a starter, with 12 points and five assists, shooting 5-11 from the field and 2-4 from deep.
If both teams were fully healthy, the Blazers would still face a talent gap but could exploit a key mismatch against the Lakers with their size advantage. Portland has the deepest center rotation in the league, while the Lakers are reportedly seeking to upgrade the position leading up to the trade deadline. Blazers big man Robert Williams III has even surfaced as a top trade target for Los Angeles.
But with Williams and Donovan Clingan out, the Blazers' lack of size has hurt them in recent games, particularly on the defensive end, where both excel. During their losing streak, Portland has surrendered an average of 135 points per game.
It also didn't help that in Deandre Ayton's recent game against the Utah Jazz, which the Blazers lost 141-99, Billups only played Ayton two minutes in the entire second half. Rightfully so, as Billups "didn't like his spirit" during the game. How Ayton responds in terms of energy and effort in this matchup will be something to monitor.
Duop Reath is also doubtful in this contest, so head coach Billups should elect to go with Jabari Walker or Deni Avdija at center to spell Ayton. However, Avdija may see less run at backup center now that he's starting in place of Camara.
After losing his starting role earlier this season, Avdija has been stepping up recently, regaining his three-point efficiency from last year with Washington, where he shot 37.4 percent. The silver lining from the Blazers' brutal injury situation is that it opens the door for Avdija to reclaim a starting role, which he deserves, given his strong play as of late.
It's unfortunate to see Camara added to Portland's already lengthy injury report. But the positive spin from bad news is that Camara's injury doesn't seem to be anything serious that would sideline him for an extended period of time, especially since he's listed as doubtful instead of immediately being ruled out.