Over the last few seasons the Los Angeles Lakers have fallen victim to a massive amount of key injuries that have not only derailed their winning hopes but the hopes of fans as well. It has become something to expect over the last few years where it has take over its own role over the team. From Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash and all the other role player injuries that have missed games yet despite this fact the worst injury of them all happened in the season opener against the Rockets.

The Lakers may have gotten Kobe back but lost rookie Julius Randle to a major injury. By Keith Allison from Baltimore, USA, via Wikimedia Commons

Seeing his first regular season game in front of the Staples Center crowd, Randle struggled to find his way. He played just 14 minutes and seemed a little nervous. In the fourth quarter of the blowout game, Randle suffered a broken leg and had to be taken off the court on a stretcher as Staples Center went silent. It was like watching Kobe tear his Achilles all over again, except it was for a rookie who had never played a single game in the NBA.

How could this happen? Especially to a player like Randle in his first career NBA game, it’s just unfathomable. The injury to Randle seems like a foreshadowing for things to come — for the Lakers having another bad season. With the injury to Randle, the Lakers will need to look to rely more on Ed Davis, Ryan Kelly, and Carlos Boozer. The only glimpse of hope that Laker fans should enjoy if Randle is indeed out for the season is that their crosstown rival Blake Griffin also missed his entire rookie season and (some could argue) came back stronger because of it.

Injuries and situations like this make you forget about the game and put a sense of perspective into sports. Nobody wants to see anybody get hurt no matter what team you root for, so let’s all hope and pray that Randle comes back stronger because of this and it will then be a bump in the road to success for the young kid. Until then all we can do is wait and say, get well soon Julius. We already miss you!

How much can Carlos Boozer actually help the Lakers this season? Photo by By Keith Allison from Owings Mills, USA, via Wikimedia Commons

This year, the Lakers might be the third-best team in California, but that won’t stop them from being an interesting team to keep tabs on. Owen and Andy go through the roster and try to figure out what reasonable expectations for this team’s roster are and which of their young players with upside might be a candidate to break-out.