Lakers Set to Battle Mavericks Without Cam Reddish, Eyeing Opportunity with Dallas’ Stars Out

The Los Angeles Lakers will face the Dallas Mavericks without key defensive forward Cam Reddish due to low back soreness. Reddish, who suffered the injury after a hard fall during Sunday’s loss to the Houston Rockets, has been ruled out for Tuesday’s game. This will mark his first absence since December 1. Although Reddish’s numbers may not be eye-popping, he has proven invaluable to the Lakers with his defensive contributions. The team will now rely on bench players such as Dalton Knecht and Dorian Finney-Smith to help fill the gap.

Reddish’s next opportunity to return will be on Thursday against the Charlotte Hornets, but in the meantime, the Lakers will have to adjust without his defensive presence. Fortunately for Los Angeles, the Mavericks will be in a similar situation, as they will be without their two superstars, Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving. Both players are sidelined due to injuries, with Dončić facing a calf strain and Irving dealing with his own injury woes. The absence of these two key players has heavily impacted the Mavericks, as evidenced by their 0-3 record in games without them on the court.

The Mavericks have had a challenging time staying competitive without their star duo, and the Lakers are presented with a great opportunity to capitalize on the situation. With both teams currently holding a 20-16 record, the game becomes crucial for positioning in the standings, with the Lakers sitting in fifth and the Mavericks just behind in sixth.

While Reddish’s contributions on the court are modest in terms of scoring—averaging just 3.4 points, 2 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 0.8 assists per game—his consistency and availability have been notable, particularly in light of the injuries that have plagued the Lakers’ frontcourt. His absence will certainly be felt, but with the Mavericks also missing their stars, the game could still go in the Lakers’ favor if they are able to leverage the opportunity effectively.