Dion Waiters, JaVale McGee leave Game 2 with injuries

Lakers guard Dion Waiters suffered a pulled left groin during the Lakers’ Game 2 win over the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference semifinals on Sunday. Waiters exited the game and did not return.

Waiters was on pace to play the most minutes he’s played for the Lakers since Game 2 of the team’s first-round series against the Portland Trail Blazers. Waiters ended the night with 0 points on 0-1 shooting from the field in 2:38. For the playoffs, Waiters has scored 10 total points on 33.3% shooting from the field in 37 minutes.

There is currently no timetable for Waiters’ return.

Obviously there is never a good time for an injury, but the Lakers are certainly in a better position to lose a guard now than they were last week, when Rajon Rondo was still working his way back from injury. With Rondo back in the rotation, head coach Frank Vogel has another guard that he can trust to handle the ball and make plays for others, a role Waiters was tasked with in his absence.

However, even before Rondo returned from injury, Waiters was having a hard time cracking the rotation despite looking solid in the seeding games. Whether that was a result of matchups or something else, Waiters’ absence won’t be felt as much as it would have if he was getting meaningful minutes.

JaVale McGee also left the game with left ankle pain. McGee played 8:01 on Friday, but did start and was otherwise playing close to his normal rotations in this one prior to the injury. There is currently no timetable for his return.

This story will updated as more information becomes available.

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