Things are getting worse for the 2-7 Los Angeles Lakers. After another loss on Sunday to the Cleveland Cavaliers, they will be without their best player for Monday’s game against the Utah Jazz. LeBron James will miss the game due to left foot pain. He will not be the only Laker suffering from health problems. Patrick Beverley and Lonnie Walker IV are both out with non-COVID diseases.

Last week, James experienced the same non-COVID ailment that appears to be spreading around the locker room. Despite this, he hadn’t missed a game this season. That will change on Monday, and as the season progresses, he will likely miss more games as he suffers from the stiffness that comes with aging. Managing injuries in your late 30s are challenging for NBA players, especially those carrying as much weight as LeBron.

The Lakers are off to a 2-8 start without James. Even with him, Monday’s game would not be easy. It’s the second part of a road back-to-back against the 8-3 Jazz, who beat the Lakers three days ago.

The Lakers will have to rely even more heavily on Russell Westbrook as a shot-creator without their best player, but he has played so brilliantly off the bench that starting him to compensate for LeBron’s absence would disturb his flow.

The Laker’s offense is the worst in the league, and their record isn’t much better as they head into the game on Monday. They have consistently been among the worst NBA teams, even when healthy. As injuries start to develop, things will most likely only get worse.