The Los Angeles Lakers are receiving some much-needed reinforcements. Rajon Rondo could be back on Friday against the New Orleans Pelicans after being out since mid-November with a fractured hand. JaVale McGee has missed two games with flu-like symptoms and could return. Brandon Ingram also told media that he expects to be on the court against the Pelicans:
Brandon Ingram said he “felt really, really good” today on the ankle. They’ll wait to see how it feels tomorrow morning before deciding if he can play in the game. Added that “My goal would be to play” if it continues to feel good.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) December 20, 2018
Ingram had missed seven straight games with a sprained ankle after going down early in a win over the Spurs. The Lakers were only 3-4 in that span without their starting shooting guard.
With the Lakers struggling during that stretch, Ingram will likely resume his starting duties although there has been plenty of speculation about his role. The third-year pro has struggled to play alongside LeBron James leading many to wonder if he would be best suited as the team’s sixth man.
For his part, Ingram dished out some information on what he watched when out with injury and how it could impact him moving forward:
Ingram said he noticed “How good guys were moving without the basketball” when he was out, and that’ll be an area of focus.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) December 20, 2018
That’s been an issue for Ingram this year, so perhaps the time away helped him understand what he needs to do to play himself out of this funk. With his length, Ingram should be a menace on cuts that allow him to get his shot off with plenty of space. But first, he has to get fully healthy.
