The Lakers’ health has become increasingly important this season.

LeBron James recently missed a Lakers game against the Kings due to illness, and Anthony Davis was sidelined with a sprained ankle against the Blazers.

They both played in the team’s recent win over the Hawks, but will the two stars keep up as the Lakers begin a two-game road trip?

So far the answer is more of a yes, as both players are considered likely for LA’s first game of the season against Houston.

More good injury news is that the Lakers have a chance at a return from Gabe Vincent, as the backup guard is listed as questionable instead of being ruled out entirely.

Vincent is dealing with an oblique strain he suffered during the team’s game against the Kings and has missed the last three games.

Before LA’s game against Atlanta, head coach JJ Redick expressed optimism about Vincent’s return during this road trip.

With only two away games, the Rockets on Sunday and the Mavericks on Tuesday, hopefully we will see Vincent again at the next game in Dallas.

Despite the missed games of their most prominent stars and important rotation players, the Lakers were doing well.

Los Angeles is currently on a two-game winning streak, having won seven of its last ten games and sitting alone in fourth place in the Western Conference.

With LeBron and AD ready to go and Vincent returning sooner rather than later, this team can continue to rack up wins in a weak January schedule.

With the NBA trade deadline approaching, now is the time to get healthy and give the franchise a chance to evaluate the talent on the roster and see if another trade is necessary. They’ve already made a welcome move, acquiring Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton – a deal that surprised many around the NBA.

While this deal, coupled with the fact that the Lakers are healthy enough to make them contenders, might feel like fanatical optimism, keep in mind that the teams have entered the stage as inferior teams in recent years.

The Lakers reached the Western Conference Finals in 2023 as the seventh seed and in 2024 the Dallas Mavericks reached the NBA Finals as the fifth seed.

However, the postseason is still a long way off. For now, the Lakers will see how they perform against a very good Houston Rockets team with a healthy LeBron and AD ready to compete on Sunday.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88.