Lakers’ LeBron James, Deandre Ayton to miss game vs. Pacers

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers will be without LeBron James and two of their big men in Deandre Ayton and Maxi Kleber on Friday against the Indiana Pacers, the team announced.

James did not finish L.A.’s 120-113 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Thursday after sustaining a left elbow contusion late in the fourth quarter when absorbing contact from Nikola Jokic and tumbling to the floor. James is also listed with left foot arthritis on the injury report.

Ayton is out with left knee soreness. He played the first four and a half minutes Thursday before exiting the game because of his left knee and did not return.

Kleber will miss his third straight game with a lumbar back strain, the team announced.

Without Kleber and Ayton for most of Thursday, Lakers backup center Jaxson Hayes shined with 19 points on 8-for-10 shooting and five rebounds against the Nuggets.

Indiana (15-47) has the worst record in the Eastern Conference and has lost seven straight games coming into Friday.