The Lakers saw their starting point guard get hurt in the first minute of Friday’s game (Getty)
Struggling mightily in recent weeks, the Los Angeles Lakers watched starting point guard D’Angelo Russell go down with a right leg injury in the first quarter of their home game against the Indiana Pacers Friday night.
Attempting to use a ball screen being set by teammate Julius Randle, Russell tripped over Randle’s leg and fell to the Staples Center court. Russell’s right leg was in an awkward position as he landed, with the guard lying on the court while being tended to by team trainers after a timeout was called.
mattclapp: Yikes, this doesn’t look good for D’Angelo Russell. ESPN NBA Basketball: Pacers … t.co/PVEFIv1v9P
It was reported Friday night that Russell was diagnosed with a mild sprain of the medial collateral ligament in the knee. After re-evaluating Russell at the half, the team announced that Russell also suffered a right calf strain and would not return to the game. On Saturday an MRI confirmed the original diagnosis, and Russell will miss anywhere from one to two weeks as a result. Per the Lakers, Russell will be re-evaluated after one week.
The second-year point guard out of Ohio State missed 12 games earlier this season after undergoing treatment on his left knee. Russell received a PRP injection in his left knee in mid-November, returning to the lineup December 11 against the Knicks and playing in 20 of the Lakers’ 21 games since.
