Lakers News: Buzz on Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram's Roles with Rajon Rondo Injured

The Los Angeles Lakers are expected to rely on Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram more following injuries to Rajon Rondo and LeBron James.

The team announced Rondo suffered a Grade 3 sprain to his right ring finger during the Lakers' Christmas Day win over the Golden State Warriors. James left the same game with a strained left groin and is currently considered day-to-day. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Brian Windhorst reported the Lakers expect James to miss several games.

Ball put up 20 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds in Thursday's loss to the Sacramento Kings, their first without James all season. Ingram, who Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN reported will take an increased playmaking role, added 22 points.

Kyle Kuzma picked up much of James' scoring slack with a 33-point, nine-rebound effort. But the Lakers blew a 15-point fourth-quarter lead despite the strong scoring performances.

"With him being hurt, this is the first close game we've been in where he's not there," coach Luke Walton told reporters of James. "If LeBron James plays in that game, it probably finishes a little differently, but that's what we have to get. That's what our guys were doing last year, but when you get the closer in the game on your team, you rely on him to do that.

"All that said, we made enough plays to win, we just didn't take care of little things, which has nothing to do with being a closer—it's rebounding, it's getting back in transition defense. Those type of the things that cost us the game, not the fact that we didn't have him at the end or that shot Bogdanovic hit."

The Lakers are somewhat used to playing without Rondo, who missed 17 games earlier this season due to a fractured hand.

Thursday was the first game James has missed since the 2016-17 season.