With two consecutive wins against the Orlando Magic and the Phoenix Suns, the Los Angeles Lakers have put themselves back in playoff contention, and come Friday, they take on the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are on the same mission.
The Lakers will continue to be without LeBron James, who clarified his injury status after reports broke that he was aiming to play the last three regular season games for LA. Now, it’s unclear if he will play those games, but should the Purple and Gold blow a couple of skirmishes in their remaining nine games, he may as well begin prep for the next season.
Oklahoma head into this contest on the back of a loss to the LA Clippers, but it’s worth noting that they won three of their last five games. They are tied with the Lakers with a 36-37 record, a win at the Crypto.com Arena will propel them closer to booking a postseason berth.
All eyes will be on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has been instrumental in Thunder’s late push. Austin Reaves will have his fair share of the spotlight after he broke into the Lakers’ starting lineup and made a splash instantly.
On that note, here are the projected starters, the injury report from both camps and the predictions.
Los Angeles Lakers Expected Lineups And Injuries Updates
The Lakers will miss James and Mo Bamba (ankle). The injury report also lists Anthony Davis as probable, but he will be suiting up in all likelihood.
Expect the Lakers to go with the same starting unit from their previous game. D’Angelo Russell (G), Austin Reaves (G), Troy Brown Jr. (F), Jarred Vanderbilt (F), and Anthony Davis (C).
Oklahoma City Thunder Expected Lineups And Injuries Updates
At the time of writing, The Thunder hadn’t released their injury report yet, but they will be missing Kenrich Williams for the contest.
Like the Lakers, OKC might stick to the same starters who took the floor against the Clippers. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (G), Josh Giddey (G), Luguentz Dort (F), Jalen Williams (F), and Jaylin Williams (C).
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Predictions
The Lakers’ win will purely hinge on Anthony Davis and Jarred Vanderbilt’s defense and their plan to slow down SGA. The Thunder star has been phenomenal for Oklahoma, averaging 31.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 5.4 assists. His offensive production has been pivotal in the team’s run.
That said, the bigger challenge for OKC is playing back-to-back, while the Lakers have had a breather in between. As far as the battle of the centers goes, Davis is a superior force, but he will need to display dominance on both ends of the floor to stop the Thunder threat.
Such has been the stacked standings in the West that each game for both these teams becomes crucial. The Lakers are still overwhelming favorites, given their recent form, but they cannot afford to have another loss as they did against the Mavericks earlier this month. Expect the Lakers to pull off a stunner in what promises to be a blockbuster Friday clash.
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