The Los Angeles Lakers are back home later this evening for just one night before they head out on a five-game Eastern Conference road trip starting on Monday in Orlando. But they will likely get some additional reinforcements for their backcourt once they are on the road as starting guard Avery Bradley is close to returning.
Bradley was cleared on Saturday to resume full-contact activities on the court but he remains out for Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
Bradley has been out since Nov. 15 with a hairline fracture of his right leg after beginning the season as the team’s starting guard, starting 10 games for the Lakers so far this season. In his stead, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has performed well on both ends of the court.
Over the last 11 games for KCP, all starts, he’s shot 45% from the 3-point line and has usually taken over the primary ball-handler of the opposing team.
“It’s shots I been taking that are starting to go in,” Caldwell-Pope told LeBronWire over the weekend about his shooting as of late. “I’ve been in a good rhythm and I’ve been staying in there to keep my mind clear.”
Caldwell-Pope will likely get the start again tonight but it’s unclear what head coach Frank Vogel will do with the starting guard spot opposite Danny Green once Bradley is available to return.