Lakers expect Nance to return, start vs. Clippers

Los Angeles Lakers power forward Larry Nance Jr. is expected to return Monday night after missing 11 games with a broken left hand.

If he is indeed able to play, Nance will reclaim his spot in the starting lineup against the cross-town Clippers, Lakers coach Luke Walton told reporters after Monday's shootaround.

Rookie forward Kyle Kuzma stepped into the starting lineup in Nance's absence, and performed admirably, averaging 18.1 points and 7.5 rebounds while shooting 47.1 percent from the field and 38.8 percent from 3-point range.

Kuzma has certainly made a case for keeping the starting spot, but it's worth noting that before suffering the injury, Nance was off to a career-best start in his third NBA season, putting up 10.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.4 steals with a sparkling 64.2-percent true shooting mark.

"I mean, to me it doesn't really matter," Kuzma told reporters, according to ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk. "I proved I can play against second-unit guys, first-unit guys, same thing. I learned more patience in the first group playing against starters."