Kawhi Leonard
January 2026
Leonard returned after missing three games and scored 24 points as the Clippers beat the Lakers 112-104. He slotted back in immediately, continuing a high-scoring run and maintaining a season average cited as a career best through 30 games.
Deandre Ayton
January 2026
Ayton posted 25 points on 10-for-10 shooting with 13 rebounds to power a 110-93 Lakers win, joining a small group of Lakers to hit 10 shots without a miss with 10-plus rebounds. With Toronto undersized, the Lakers repeatedly fed Ayton on lobs and close finishes, keeping all attempts inside eight feet; Redick emphasised rewarding bigs who screen and roll, while Doncic said Ayton’s focus on both ends raises the team’s ceiling heading into a long road trip.
Los Angeles Lakers
January 2026
Lakers produced their most complete performance with season-high threes and assists, but the same volatility showed up with turnovers and mid-game lapses, raising the consistency question again. A pregame meeting reset focus, stars drove playmaking, then fatigue and pace triggered a shaky stretch before a big fourth-quarter close, with Redick pointing to daily commitment as the gap between ceiling games and week-to-week reliability.
Dennis Schröder
January 2026
Schröder received a three-game unpaid suspension for confronting and attempting to strike another player in an arena hallway about 40 minutes after a loss to the Lakers. The NBA disciplined him after the postgame altercation; he begins serving the ban in the next Kings game, sidelining him for three contests.
Dennis Schröder
January 2026
Schröder was banned three games without pay for confronting and attempting to strike another player in an arena hallway after a Kings loss. The NBA said Schröder sought out the player roughly 40 minutes after the game and initiated the incident. The suspension starts with Sacramento’s next game against Houston.
LeBron James
January 2026
LeBron said every remaining back-to-back this season is uncertain, citing age and workload, even after another 30-point performance and strong fourth-quarter burst in a road win. He framed decisions as day-to-day management rather than a fixed plan, balancing elite output with recovery. The comments signal the Lakers will keep monitoring his body and likely prioritize rest when the schedule compresses.
Luka Dončić, Giannis Antetokounmpo
December 2025
The first 2026 NBA All-Star fan returns have Luka Dončić leading all players in votes, while Giannis Antetokounmpo tops the Eastern Conference. The current top fives include Nikola Jokić, Stephen Curry, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama in the West. Fan voting counts for 50% of starter selection, with players and media at 25% each, and voting is positionless. Dec. 30 is a 3-for-1 day, with the next update on Jan. 6. The Feb. 15 game uses a U.S., U.S., and World round-robin format.
Austin Reaves
December 2025
The Lakers have ruled Austin Reaves out for a minimum of four weeks after scans confirmed a strained gastrocnemius muscle in his left calf, an issue that previously cost him three games and now halts a career-best season in which he is averaging 26.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 6.3 assists. Reaves aggravated the calf after returning from an earlier strain, coming off the bench against Phoenix and then starting on Christmas versus Houston before exiting at halftime with 12 points. With a re-evaluation due late January, the Lakers must cover heavy minutes and playmaking in his absence.
Ivica Zubac
December 2025
Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac will miss several weeks after suffering a Grade 2 sprain to his left ankle, having landed awkwardly on LeBron James’ foot during the first quarter of a 103-88 win over the Lakers at the Intuit Dome. Zubac left the game after posting five points and two rebounds in 11 minutes, with scans confirming significant ligament damage, and the 28-year-old’s absence deprives the Clippers of a double-double machine who anchors their interior defense and has been central to their frontcourt identity.
Luka Dončić
December 2025
Luka Dončić left the Lakers’ derby defeat to the Clippers at halftime with a left leg contusion, cutting short the NBA’s leading scorer’s night after 19 minutes and 12 points and adding fresh concern over his fitness in an already injury hit Los Angeles squad. Coach JJ Redick said he noticed Dončić limping in the second quarter but could not offer a timeline, while LeBron James called injuries the worst part of sport as the Lakers juggle absences for Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton and Austin Reaves and search for stability in the Western Conference race.
