Lakers' Avery Bradley Ruled out vs. Pistons with Ankle Injury; X-Rays Negative
Los Angeles Lakers guard Avery Bradley has been ruled out for the remainder of Sunday night's game against the Detroit Pistons with a right ankle sprain, according to team reporter Mike Trudell.
Bradley suffered the injury earlier in the game and required assistance to get to the locker room, per Trudell, but his X-rays came back negative. Bradley had five points, one assist, one steal and one block before leaving.
Los Angeles coach Frank Vogel revealed after the team's 106-99 victory, per The Athletic's Brett Dawson, that Bradley "felt like he could come back" but was limping. He is expected to be further evaluated on Monday.
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Against the San Antonio Spurs on Nov. 3, Bradley suffered what the team originally described as a "lower right leg injury."
On Nov. 15, ESPN's Dave McMenamin relayed that an MRI had revealed Bradley's injury to be a hairline fracture in his right leg.
"It's the same injury, and he's been playing through pretty significant pain," Lakers head coach Frank Vogel said, per McMenamin. "They wanted to go through and give it another MRI to make sure there was nothing there, and they found something there. So it'll just be a couple weeks, hopefully."
Bradley returned to the lineup on Dec. 11.
The 28-year-old had started 10 games prior to his hairline fracture. He averaged 9.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists across 27.4 minutes. Overall this season, he has averaged 8.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.0 steals in 24.6 minutes across 21 games (16 starts).
The Lakers signed Bradley to a two-year contract worth $9.7 million after he cleared waivers in July. His signature season since joining the NBA in 2010 came in the 2016-17 campaign with the Boston Celtics. Then, Bradley averaged career highs in points (16.3) and rebounds (6.1) while playing in just 55 games (all starts).
He had short stints with the Pistons, Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies before landing with the Lakers.
While Bradley was healing his hairline fracture, the Lakers shuffled Kentavious Caldwell-Pope into the starting lineup. That could again be the case should Bradley's ankle injury prove to be significant.
