LA Lakers Injury Report: Latest on Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves' status vs Grizzlies (March 29)

With the regular season winding down, the fourth and fifth seeds in the West go head-to-head when the LA Lakers end their quick four-game road trip against the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday.

Both teams enter the game following a loss. The Lakers were swept by the Chicago Bulls after suffering a 119-117 defeat. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies also lost their series against the OKC Thunder, dropping 125-104 in their fourth and final regular-season game.

The Lakers vs. Grizzlies matchup has been good recently for the Purple and Gold, winning seven of the last 10 games. However, the Grizzlies aim to even the series on Saturday, as they don’t want to give the tiebreaker advantage.

---

Lakers injury report: Latest on Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves

The Lakers have an almost clean bill of health except for Maxi Kleber. The forward continues to work his way back from a cruciate foot injury.

The big news for Lakers fans is that Rui Hachimura, who sat out the team’s 119-117 loss on Thursday, is off the injury report. It’s worth noting that Hachimura recently returned after missing 22 games this season with patellar tendinopathy.

Austin Reaves is listed as questionable with an ankle injury. He will undergo a late fitness test to determine his possible involvement in the game. Key players like LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Jaxson Hayes are all available for selection, ensuring that JJ Redick has plenty of firepower and creativity on the court.

---

What to expect from LA Lakers vs Memphis Grizzlies

The Lakers haven’t fared well on their quick four-game road stint, losing to the Orlando Magic and Chicago Bulls. The only silver lining was the 120-119 win over the Indiana Pacers.

Even with those stumbles, the Lakers (44-29) still hold the fourth seed but face a fifth-seed team with a similar 44-29 record.

And for the Grizzlies, despite showing some signs of progress, they spluttered and faltered from January to March. Tuomas Iisalo has been named interim coach following the shock firing of Taylor Jenkins, who struggled to establish an identity with the team. A dismal record of 11 defeats in 19 games after the All-Star break ultimately sealed his fate.