The Los Angeles Lakers have a pivotal Western Conference clash ahead of them, as they’re preparing to face the surging San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night.
The Lakers will improve to 33-20 with a win and 32-21 with a loss. Unfortunately, Los Angeles received terrible injury news regarding their Big Three (Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and LeBron James).
“Lakers say LeBron James, Austin Reaves, and Luka Doncic will all miss tonight's game against the Spurs,” ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel reported on X/Twitter.
A Lakers game not featuring Doncic, Reaves, and James is a recipe for disaster for the 17-time NBA champions. Even against bottom feeders like the Washington Wizards and Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles would find it difficult to prevail without its top-3 scorers/playmakers.
The Lakers will find it especially challenging to come out victorious against the Spurs, as the Victor Wembanyama-led squad has emerged as a legitimate title contender thanks to its elite offensive firepower. Wembanyama leads San Antonio in scoring with 23.9 points per game, but the Spurs have seven other contributors averaging at least 10 points.
Simply put, the Lakers will have their work cut out for them on Tuesday night. One loss won’t be the end of the world, though, as Los Angeles will still be in good shape to earn a top 5 seed in the Western Conference.
The most important thing is ensuring that Doncic, Reaves, and James are healthy moving forward.
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