Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers appeared to be dead in the water following a Christmas Day loss to the Dallas Mavericks that dropped their record to 13-20. All-Star Anthony Davis did not play in the game as he nursed a stress reaction in his right foot and would go on to miss 15 more games recovering. Two months later, LeBron James tore a tendon in his right foot and missed 13 consecutive games. Still, the Lakers methodically strung together wins, buoyed by a pair of midseason trades, the emergence of Austin Reaves, and improved health for their key contributors. In the end, Los Angeles finished a wild playoff run that started with the play-in tournament and ended in a Western Conference Finals appearance.

The 2022-2023 campaign was Head Athletic Trainer Roger Sancho’s first season leading the medical team after long-time staff member Judy Seto was not brought back. Sancho’s group dropped the total number of days lost to injury by over 100 games and will need to repeat that success for the Lakers to build on last year’s late-season surge. Keeping Davis and James healthy and available poses the biggest challenge but one Sancho and his team should be ready to face.