The series of injuries for the Los Angeles Lakers is not taking its name. As Anthony Davis re-entered the lineup, LeBron James left it. Kendrick Nunn still hasn't played this season. Only a handful of players remained in the lineup reliably this season, and one of them only sustained an injury of his own.
Carmelo Anthony gave the Lakers seven quick points against the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday, but in the middle of the second quarter, he came off a limp. Anthony quickly returned to the locker room, and the news didn't get any better from there. Shortly after leaving the floor, Anthony was ruled out due to a strain in his right hamstring.
Carmelo Anthony (right hamstring strain) is out for the remainder of tonight's game pic.twitter.com/Pw8fzP82X1
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 4, 2022
Anthony appeared in 50 of the Lakers' 53 games this season, only behind Russell Westbrook in the season. Hamstring strains are tricky, however, especially in older players. Depending on the severity of the stress, Anthony may return relatively quickly or may miss a meaningful time.
Anthony is one player the Lakers simply can't stand without. With James out and 36-year-old Trevor Ariza proving largely unstoppable, Anthony and Stanley Johnson were the only healthy forwards on the roster who were actually contributing. With Anthony gone, the Lakers lose not only that precious little forward depth they had, but one of their most consistent shooters. Anthony's 38.93-point percentage is only behind Malik Monk in the season.
The Lakers are completely accustomed to working without a healthy roster, but they can only sustain these absences for so long. They are below .500 as the trading deadline approaches. If they plan on scoring any sort of playoff runs, they will need their entire team at some point. Anthony is a key part of that team, and his health is in dire straits going forward.