Lakers' Dion Waiters Ruled out vs Rockets After Suffering Groin Injury in Game 2

Los Angeles Lakers guard Dion Waiters has been ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's Game 2 against the Houston Rockets after suffering a pulled left groin during the first half.

The 28-year-old went 0-of-1 in three minutes of action on the night.

Now in his eighth NBA season, Waiters missed 52 games during the 2017-18 campaign and underwent surgery in January to repair instability in his left ankle that kept him out for the rest of the year.

Waiters sat out the first 35 games in 2018-19 while rehabbing from that ankle procedure before returning on Jan. 2. He was eased back into Miami's rotation slowly, averaging 12.0 points in 25.9 minutes per game. 

Waiters was suspended at the start of the 2019-20 campaign with the Miami Heat for conduct detrimental to the team, but he was reinstated on Oct. 29. He only appeared in three games before he was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies on Feb. 6 as part of the deal for Andre Iguodala. 

Memphis waived Waiters three days after the trade, making him a free agent. The Lakers signed him on March 6, and he appeared in seven games during the season restart, averaging 11.9 points per game.