Rui Hachimura has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of Luka Doncic’s LA arrival. Ever since the Lakers moved Anthony Davis, Hachimura has stepped up his production and is averaging 16.4 points and 5.5 rebounds. Having become an important part of the rotation, his injury against the Timberwolves two nights ago put the Lakers in a tough place.
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His absence was felt last night, too, as the Lakers eked out a hard-fought win over the Clippers. JJ Redick revealed last night that the Japanese forward had been diagnosed with left patellar tendinopathy.
Now, of course, this raised many questions among the fans, mainly about the recovery process and how long it would be before the forward returns to court.
The answer to this was provided by Dr. Rajpat Brar, who is a physical therapy and fitness coach.
Replying to Dave McMenamin’s original post about the injury, Dr. Brar claimed the Lakers would “allow this flare to quiet down” first before placing Hachimura on a day-to-day observation plan.
They’ll allow this flare to quiet down and then start to load it. Will be day to day management
— Dr. Rajpal Brar, DPT (@3cbPerformance) March 1, 2025
Patellar Tendinopathy is often caused by repeated stress on the tendon below the knee. It’s a common injury amongst forwards and big men who play basketball. In Hachimura’s case, the injury occurred after he went up for a fast-break dunk against the Wolves, and his grimace after landing made it clear that he had hurt himself.
Given that the injury usually causes pain while walking, running, or jumping, the resurgent Lakers will be without the forward for a while.
‘Jumper’s Knee’ often takes close to 6 weeks on average to heal, depending on the seriousness. The Lakers will be hoping it’s nothing too bad, as Hachimura has been on a tear in February, shooting 52% from the field and 38% from three.
The most common treatments for this injury include resting the affected area, icing the injured knee, and a combination of compression and elevation, which allows the tendons in the knee to heal.
The Lakers have made a push and are sitting one game behind the 2nd seeded Nuggets after winning eight of their last ten games. With the Lakers losing Austin Reaves to a calf strain last night, they will be hoping that Rui Hachimura can recover as quickly as possible so as not to lose the momentum they gathered over the past month.
