Lakers guard Dennis Schroder likely to miss NBA season opener

Los Angeles Lakers is not expected to have guard Dennis Schroder available for the season opener on Tuesday against Golden State Warriors.

Dennis Schroder missed the pre-season finale at Sacramento on Friday because of a thumb injury on his right hand and is being evaluated for a ligament issue. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Los Angeles Lakers is not expected to have guard Dennis Schroder available for the season opener on Tuesday against Golden State Warriors, while guard Russell Westbrook is expected to play.

Schroder missed the pre-season finale at Sacramento on Friday because of a thumb injury on his right hand and is being evaluated for a ligament issue.

Schroder, 29, played nine minutes off the bench in Wednesday's 118-113 pre-season loss to Minnesota, missing all four of his field-goal attempts. He averaged 13.5 points, 4.6 assists and 3.3 rebounds in 64 games (29 starts) last season with Boston Celtics and Houston Rockets.

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Schroder signed a one-year, USD 2.6 million deal to return to Los Angeles in September. He averaged 15.4 points, 5.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds in 61 starts with the Lakers in 2020-21.

Westbrook, 33, has been day-to-day with a sore left hamstring. He left Friday's pre-season finale at Sacramento in the first quarter with the injury and is expected to be ready to take the court on Tuesday.

Realignment of roles

Westbrook, a former MVP and nine-time All-Star, came off the bench on Friday for the first time since his rookie season in what new Lakers head coach Darvin Ham called a “realignment” of roles.

Westbrook entered the contest with 7:30 left in the first quarter and departed some five minutes later. He missed two 3-pointers and finished with two turnovers.

In 14 NBA seasons, Westbrook has averaged 22.8 points, 8.4 assists and 7.4 rebounds in just under 35 minutes per game. He has averaged a triple-double in points, assists and rebounds four times in his career.