10 Things

Joey Ramirez

Here is what you need to know before the Lakers battle the Portland Trail Blazers in the Summer League championship game.

1) The Lakers will have to do it without their summer MVP candidate
He tossed a perfect alley-oop on his very first possession. He’s thrown multiple football-esque, full-court assists. He punched the ball ahead for an assist on the fast-break.

Lonzo Ball lived up to some tall expectations at Summer League — recording the highest assists average in event history — but now the Lakers will have to capture the trophy without their young star, who will not play due to a mild calf strain in his right.

Ball is a favorite for Summer League MVP, having averaged 16.3 points, 9.3 assists, 7.7 rebounds and 2.5 steals, while recording both of Summer League's first two triple-doubles in more than a decade.

With Ball on the sidelines, the Lakers will likely start Alex Caruso, who recently signed a two-way contract with the team.

Caruso stole the show when he started in Lonzo's place against Sacramento last Monday, racking up 18 points, nine assists and four steals to lead the Lakers to their first of five straight victories.

2) The championship will be a clash of styles
The rest of the Lakers’ roster has completely bought into the high-octane, spread-the-ball-around offensive philosophy that stems from Ball’s playmaking, and the results have been explosive.

The Lakers scored 115 points in the quarterfinals and 108 in the semis. In comparison, the remaining teams at all three of this year’s Summer Leagues have combined to score at least 107 points just one time.

Meanwhile, the Blazers have reached the championship with a contrasting strategy of slowing down the game and locking in defensively.

None of Portland’s seven opponents have managed to hit the triple-figure mark, as they have averaged only 81.7 points per game. In the other corner, the Lakers are putting up 98.4 points a night and have only become more aggressive since tournament play began.

3) Kuzma is the hottest scorer left in Vegas
Brandon Ingram was shut down for precautionary reasons after dropping 26 points in his first game. No. 30 pick Josh Hart was sidelined by an ankle sprain. David Nwaba was waived mid-Summer League.

With three of the their top weapons out of commission, the Lakers needed somebody capable of jump-starting the scoreboard, and Kyle Kuzma has been absolutely electric in that role.

After providing only nine points in the summer opener, Kuzma has bolted up the leaderboard to become the event’s fifth-leading scorer with an average of 20.5. He’s put up 20-plus in three straight games and has been the ideal pairing for Ball’s game.

Kuzma’s floor-running ability has led to consistent transition buckets, and his 45.0 percent clip on 3-pointers has “stretch four” written all over it.

His outside game was key in the Lakers’ semifinals win, as his five 3-pointers and Matt Thomas’ six were the focal point of a ridiculous 17-of-22 night from downtown for L.A..

4) Lakers will need an answer for Swanigan
It’s been a quiet Summer League for Ivica Zubac, whose averages of 10.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.1 blocks are lower than expected after his solid rookie year. But he could be the key to the Lakers taking home the trophy.

The 7-foot-1 Zubac has only averaged about 20 minutes of play since most Summer League teams like to get out and run, using small lineups that typically play true centers off the floor.

But the heart of the Blazers’ roster is center Caleb Swanigan, who is averaging a double-double with a team-high 14.9 points and 10.4 rebounds — the second-most of any player in Vegas.

Swanigan, a First Team All-American, is a physical beast who has little trouble pounding the ball down low. But Zubac does have four inches and a year of NBA experience on him, so look for an pivotal battle in the post or the possibility of the Lakers going hyper-small to counter Swanigan’s presence.

5) The game could hinge on a battle between G League MVPs
Vander Blue has hit his stride right at the finish line, averaging 20.7 points in his last three games while hitting some clutch shots along the way.

Blue, the reigning NBA G League MVP, is the best slasher in his league and has flaunted that ability with the Lakers, while also sprinkling in some smart passes off of his drives.

The Blazers, meanwhile, just received a huge performance from Blue’s MVP predecessor, Jarnell Stokes, who put up 22 points and 15 rebounds in their 19-point comeback over Memphis in the semifinals.

While Blue — who will look to celebrate his birthday with a Summer League title — and Stokes aren’t the headliners and won’t match up against one another, both have the talent and experience to tip the balance of this game.

Tip-Off: 7 p.m. PT
TV: Spectrum SportsNet and Spectrum Deportes in L.A. ESPN nationally
Radio: ESPN 710

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5 Things to Know: Summer League Championship Game

Here is what you need to know before the Lakers face the Dallas Mavericks in the Summer League semifinals.

1) This game will feature a duel between top-10 point guards
This game will feature one of the premier rookie vs. rookie battles of Summer League, as Lonzo Ball goes head-to-head against Dallas’ Dennis Smith Jr.

Ball has been the star of Las Vegas — on pace for the most assists in Summer League history (9.2 per game) while also averaging 16.4 points and 8.4 rebounds. Smith, meanwhile, has thrived in his role as well, leading the Mavericks in scoring (16.6), assists (3.8) and steals (2.2).

While both are 19-year-old point guards drafted in the top 10, the similarities grow thin from there.

Ball is already a masterful passer, fitting the ball through tight windows and seeing the floor seconds ahead of anyone else on it. Smith, while also a talented passer, is a more polished scorer than his purple and gold counterpart.

But perhaps the biggest difference is their overall demeanor. It will be interesting to see the clash of contrasting styles, as Ball always keeps an even keel — even when whipping full-court passes or hitting reverse layups — while Smith stays in attack mode for all four quarters, preferring to overwhelm opponents with his explosiveness and athleticism.

2) Kuzma continues to get buckets
The term “steal of the draft” gets thrown around a lot, but 27th-overall pick Kyle Kuzma is certainly making an early case for his candidacy.

The 21-year-old has been on a permanent heat check for the past few games, rising to sixth on the Summer League leaderboard with 20.0 points per game.

Kuzma’s buckets have been coming in ways that fit the Lakers’ system perfectly. He gets out in transition and makes a scrambled defense pay with his speed, and he spots up for 3-pointers and reaps the benefits of Ball and Alex Caruso’s playmaking.

After putting up at least 20 points in three of his five games, expect Kuzma to come out in scoring mode once again.

3) Vander Blue is hitting his stride
In his search for a spot on an NBA roster, G League MVP Vander Blue has put his talents on full display with the summer Lakers,

Blue — who played for Dallas’ summer team last year — has hit several timely, fourth-quarter buckets for the Lakers in this tournament, while averaging 13.8 points on a 48.2 percent mark.

The quarterfinals saw Blue dominate Brooklyn with his trademark slashing, as he finished the night with a game-high 27 points and zero turnovers.

4) The Lakers showed firepower in their quarterfinals match
The Nets swung first in Saturday’s matchup, scoring 63 points in the first half alone and leading by 10 in the early third quarter.

But the Lakers were able to match — and top — Brooklyn’s high-pace game plan, particularly by playing a four-guard lineup with Kuzma at center.

Blue led the comeback with 10 points in the third, while Kuzma finished with 26 on the night. The duo accounted for about a third of the Lakers’ offense as they dropped 115 points — nine more than any other team this Summer League.

5) The Mavs are on a quest for the perfect summer
The Mavericks have already beaten one-third of the NBA this summer, entering the contest with a 10-0 record in the Orlando and Las Vegas Summer Leagues.

In addition to Smith, the rest of their roster is stacked with NBA talent, including point guard Yogi Ferrell, who scored 20 points to lead their 91-74 rout over previously-unbeaten Boston in the quarterfinals.

Familiar foes also include Dorian Finney-Smith and Nicolas Brussino, as the Lakers look to hand Dallas its only loss of the summer.

Tip-Off: 5 p.m. PT
TV: Spectrum SportsNet in L.A. ESPN 2 nationally
Radio: ESPN 710

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5 Things to Know: Summer League Lakers vs. Mavericks (7/16/17)

Here is what you need to know before the Lakers face the Brooklyn Nets in the Summer League quarterfinals.

1) Summer League has become the Zo ShowLonzo Ball is putting up numbers that have never been seen at Summer League.

His twin triple-doubles are two more than the last decade of summer hoops. His 9.8 assists per game are on pace to break the event’s record. He also leads the Summer League in steals, while topping all guards in rebounds and blocks.

Lonzo has stepped up with Brandon Ingram shut down for precautionary reasons. After a dud of a first game, he has the Lakers rolling with his up-tempo, spread-the-ball-around style of play.

With a trip to the semifinals on the line, all eyes will be on Los Angeles’ 19-year-old point guard.

2) Kuzma has hit his stride in the scoring department
While Ball has undoubtedly been the star of the summer, Kyle Kuzma is also having a not-so-quiet breakout, leading the Lakers with 18.3 points per game.

Kuzma looks like just the kind of player that the Lakers’ front office wanted, as he has out-hustled his fellow power forwards on fast-breaks and spaced the floor with his 3-point shooting.

He’s been more than just a scorer, adding 6.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists.

Now Kuzma will get a shot against Brooklyn — the team that technically drafted him last month before trading him to the Lakers in a prearranged deal.

3) Ball and Kuzma will face their toughest defender of Summer League
The Lakers have faced some solid defenders, like Boston’s Jaylen Brown and the Clippers’ Sindarius Thornwell, but Rondae Hollis-Jefferson will be their biggest challenge yet.

Armed with a 7-foot-2 wingspan and the quickness to match, Hollis-Jefferson will surely see some time guarding both players, which will be an interesting test for the young Lakers.

Hollis-Jefferson will likely be tasked with stopping Kuzma first, but look for him to get sicked onto Ball in order to disrupt the focal point of the Lakers’ offense.

4) Zubac is finding his groove
For the first three games of Summer League, Ivica Zubac bore little resemblance to the player who thrived at this event last year and then turned some heads in the regular season.

But the 20-year-old has been key in L.A.’s last two wins, scoring 21 points with the game-winning free throws against Philadelphia before notching a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double versus Cleveland.

If Zubac finds an early rhythm with his jumper of post-up game, look for the Lakers to keep feeding him the ball.

5) Brooklyn brings in a crew of seven regular-season Nets
About half of the Nets’ roster figures to suit up in the regular season, and Brooklyn even has its head coach, Kenny Atkinson, on the sidelines while most every other team sent an assistant to Las Vegas.

No, we won’t see the return of D’Angelo Russell, who (like most third-year players) is not participating in Summer League. But the Nets still have NBA-quality players that have earned a 3-1 record thus far.

While Hollis-Jefferson leads Brooklyn’s defense, Caris LeVert spurs the offense with 14.3 points per game at Summer League. Isaiah Whitehead, Spencer Dinwiddie and Archie Goodwin round out the cast of summer Nets who played last season in the big leagues.

Tip-Off: 7 p.m. PT
TV: Spectrum SportsNet and Spectrum Deportes in L.A. ESPNU nationally
Radio: ESPN 710

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5 Things to Know: Summer League Lakers vs. Nets (7/15/17)

Here is what you need to know before the Lakers face the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round of the Summer League tournament.

1) Lonzo has taken Summer League by storm
After reaching a triple-double on Saturday and piling up 36 points on Wednesday, all eyes in Vegas are on Lonzo Ball.

Ball was a one-man offense in the second half of Wednesday’s win over Philadelphia, having entered halftime with only eight points before heating up through his aggressive play in the paint.

While Ball’s scoring total was 12 points more than any game of his at UCLA, that number still sells his performance short. The 19-year-old was all over the court, adding 11 assists, eight rebounds, five steals and two blocks to his total.

Ball — who leads the Summer League in assists with 9.0 per game — has also consistently wowed with his passing, especially on a couple of outlet passes to Kyle Kuzma, who had flashbacks to the 2007 Patriots.

2) The Lakers pulled off a 15-point comeback to advance
When the Lakers trailed the 76ers, 71-56, with 17 minutes remaining on Wednesday, it didn’t seemed like they had much of a chance to make it to round two.

But that’s when Lonzo went to work, as he scored 23 of his 36 points from that point on.

Down by two with 21 seconds left, Ball stole the lead on an and-1 layup before Philadelphia responded on the other end. That’s when Kuzma inbounded the ball to the most experienced player on the court. (See below)

3) Zubac snapped out his his slump last game
Ivica Zubac capped off his best game of Summer League by drawing a foul off Kuzma’s pass. The 7-foot-1 center looked like a cool-headed guard at the line, calmly swishing two free throws to cap off the Lakers’ comeback.

Zubac entered that night with only 20 points through three games, but managed to eclipse that total by dropping 21 on the Sixers.

While Zubac only managed three rebounds, he did practice efficiency with his attempts, going 7-of-11 from the field and 7-of-10 on foul shots. He also added pairs of steals and blocks on the other side of the ball.

4) Kuzma has been the Lakers’ go-to scorer
Kuzma, the draft’s 27th pick, has been Ball’s primary receiver, and the result has been him leading the Lakers with 17.7 points per game.

Offensively, Kuzma has shown a skill set of 3-point shooting, post-up scoring and (most importantly with Ball) running the floor in transition. He dropped 31 points in Saturday’s loss to Boston and hit a clutch corner triple with about a minute left versus Philadelphia.

Known as a scorer and rebounder in college, Kuzma got around to showing off that latter skill against the Sixers, pulling down 12 rebounds, including four on the offensive boards.

5) Cleveland enters this game undefeated in Vegas
Sure, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving may have stopped playing at Summer League ages ago, but that doesn’t mean that the Cavaliers can’t be a threat to win it all in Las Vegas.

In fact, they have a pretty good shot at doing just that if they keep playing the way they have been. They are 3-0 so far, having smashed Milwaukee and Golden State by 46 points combined and defeated Houston in overtime.

The Cavs boast a roster that includes two NBA players: Cleveland reserve point guard Kay Fielder — who has struggled with his shot in Vegas (11-of-43) — and 7-foot-3 center Edy Tavares — who was recently named NBA G League Defensive Player of the Year.

Cleveland has been able to lock its opponents down defensively thus far into Summer League, and the Lakers will have to exorcise some ghosts from the past in order to advance, as Felder and the Cavs were the ones who eliminated them from last Summer League.

Tip-Off: 7:30 p.m. PT
TV: Spectrum SportsNet and Spectrum Deportes in L.A. ESPN 2 nationally
Radio: ESPN 710

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5 Things to Know: Summer League Lakers vs. Cavaliers

Ball and Kuzma return for tournament portion of Summer League

Here is what you need to know before the Lakers begin the tournament portion of Summer League against the Philadelphia 76ers.

1) It’s finally tournament time
After three games to decide seeding, it’s now win or go home at Summer League.

Well, actually it’s win or play in a consolation game on Friday.

But the Lakers have plans to instead advance to Thursday’s round of 16. Should it defeat the Sixers, Los Angeles will face the Cleveland Cavaliers.

2) Ball's back, but we’ll have to wait for 1 vs. 2
At first glance, this would appear to be a matchup between the NBA’s top two draft picks: Philadelphia’s Markelle Fultz and L.A.’s Lonzo Ball.

However, Fultz has been shut down for Summer League due to a sprained ankle, while Ball missed last game because of a sore groin.

However, if Ball — who had a triple-double in Saturday’s contest — will return against the Sixers, and he’ll go head-to-head with the man whose UCLA single-season assists record he broke: Larry Drew II.

Drew — an L.A. native and Taft High grad — has plenty of history with the Lakers. He played at both North Carolina and UCLA alongside Summer League forward Travis Wear. Plus, his father, Larry Sr., finished his playing career with the Lakers (1989-91) and then served as an assistant from 1992-99.

Ball is averaging an event-high 8.0 assists at Summer League, while Drew is fifth with 5.3.

3) Nwaba has been waived
Despite impressing the Lakers with his defense during the final two months of the regular season, David Nwaba was waived by the team Wednesday morning.

The hometown product had scrapped his way from trying out for the G League in October to starting for the Lakers in March.

He had also been one of the Lakers’ top talents at Summer League. averaging 9.7 points, 6.3 rebounds while peppering in a handful of eye-opening dunks.

Should he not return for tournament action, his final play of the event was a great one, as his trademark defense forced Buddy Hield’s game-tying attempt to airball in Monday’s win over Sacramento.

4) Serbia has eyes on this one
One year ago, just months before being drafted, L.A.’s Ivica Zubac teamed up with Philly’s Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot to play for Mega Leks of the Adriatic League.

Since then, Zubac has gone on to become a fan favorite after averaging 7.5 points and 4.2 rebounds while shooting the second-best field goal percentage among rookies last year (52.9).

Meanwhile, Luwawu-Cabarrot picked up his game post-All-Star Break, putting up 11.0 points in the final stretch of the year.

However, both players are looking to break through respective slumps at Summer League.

Zubac has been held to 6.7 points, 2.0 rebounds, 0.3 blocks and 37.5 percent shooting thus far, while Luwawu-Cabarrot has shot just 31.6 percent and needed five facial stitches after cutting open his lip in Philadelphia’s Vegas opener.

5) Alex Caruso is winning people over
Starting in place of Ball on Monday, Alex Caruso hit cult hero status by taking over the game with stylish passing, hustle plays and 3-point shooting.

The 6-foot-5 point guard finished the night with 18 points, nine assists, four steals and thousands of impressed Lakers fans.

Caruso and Vander Blue — who led the team with 21 points, 10 of which came in the fourth quarter — pushed the Lakers’ skeleton crew past the Kings, as they were without Ball, Kyle Kuzma, Josh Hart and Brandon Ingram due to various injuries.

They could be called upon again, as Ingram, Hart and P.J. Dozier will not play against the Sixers. Fortunately for the Lakers, Kuzma — who exploded for 31 points on Saturday — will be available for the Summer League playoff opener.

Tip-Off: 7:30 p.m. PT
TV: Spectrum SportsNet and Spectrum Deportes in L.A. ESPN2 nationally
Radio: ESPN 710

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5 Things to Know: Summer League Lakers vs. 76ers

Here is what you need to know before the Lakers continue Summer League against the Sacramento Kings.

1) The rematch will have to wait
Fans anticipating a rubber match of the NCAA Sweet Sixteen will have to hold out a bit longer, as Lonzo Ball (right groin soreness) will not play against De'Aaron Fox and the Kings.

The two 19-year-olds already have plenty of history, as they faced each other twice in college last season. Ball’s UCLA Bruins took the first meeting in the regular season, but Fox earned a statement victory in the NCAA Tournament.

Using his elite speed, Fox constantly slashed through the paint against Ball and UCLA’s other guards, finishing the night with a season-high 39 points and 13 made free throws. On the other end, he kept the Bruins’ All-American in check, as Ball finished with 10 points and eight assists.

Despite the postponed reunion, the two will have plenty of time to reacquaint. The Lakers and Kings will duel again in Las Vegas during the preseason on October 8 before matching up four times in the regular season.

2) Lonzo showed off his game last time around
Though he won't be playing on Monday, Ball certainly left a lasting impression two days earlier against the Celtics.

The second-overall pick posted 11 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists to record the first triple-double at the Las Vegas Summer League in at least nine years.*

While Ball’s shot was still off on a 5-of-13 night from the field, he dazzled with his trademark passing that reminds Lakers president Magic Johnson of himself.

Under Ball’s direction, the Lakers turned up the pace, as he fired outlet passes and dashed up the court himself. He was just as effective in the half court, kicking out to 3-point shooters and setting up post players with clean entry passes.

*Statistical records are inconsistent prior to 2008.

3) L.A. also won't have Kuzma's scoring
Nobody thrived off Ball’s passing on Saturday like Kyle Kuzma did, as the fellow First Team All-Pac-12 selection went off for a 31-point night against the Celtics.

However, he too will sit against the Kings due to cramping.

Kuzma — whose collegiate career-high at Utah was 26 — went to work inside and out, spotting up for five made 3-pointers, scoring from the low post and running the floor in transition.

Six of Kuzma’s buckets came off of dimes from Ball, who kept feeding the hot hand. Kuzma showed his ability to carry a large workload, putting up 26 shots (making a dozen) while also hauling in nine rebounds.

4) Injuries will force other Lakers to step up
In addition to Ball and Kuzma, the Lakers will be without Brandon Ingram (leg cramping), who will rest the remainder of Summer League, and Josh Hart (sprained right ankle), who hurt himself on a transition layup Saturday.

The Lakers will need someone else to shoulder the load with the majority of their top scoring options sidelined.

The chief candidate is Ivica Zubac, who has been quiet in Las Vegas after a strong rookie regular season. So far, Zubac has averaged only 6.0 points in 16.0 minutes, meaning there is plenty of room for him to assume a more central role on the summer squad.

Other options include David Nwaba — who has already compiled a reel of highlight dunks — 42nd-overall pick Thomas Bryant and NBA G League MVP Vander Blue.

5) Sacramento’s roster is filled with first-round picks
The Kings come to Vegas with seven total first-round draft picks from the past two years. While Harry Giles and Malachi Richardson are unlikely to play, they still have plenty more young players who figure to play in Sacramento this year.

Fox has been the leader already, averaging 17.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 4.0 steals in two Summer League games. Meanwhile, First Team All-Rookie selection Buddy Hield is looking to heat up his perimeter game after hitting just 1-of-11 from 3-point range.

Both teams also boast a pair of 2017 First Team All-Americans, as Ball and Hart were joined by Sacramento’s Justin Jackson and Frank Mason III. Ironically, in spite of such firepower, the Lakers and Kings each need this win to avoid an 0-3 start to summer.

Tip-Off: 7:30 p.m. PT
TV: Spectrum SportsNet and Spectrum Deportes in L.A. NBA TV nationally
Radio: ESPN 710

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5 Things to Know: Summer League Lakers vs. Kings

Here is what you need to know before the Lakers’ season finale against the Golden State Warriors.

1)
The Lakers are on a season-ending tear, having won all of their last five games. By knocking off Golden State, the purple and gold would secure their first six-game, single-season winning streak since April 2011. Los Angeles has pulled out some close ones to get to this point, having won four games by seven points or fewer.

2)
It’s a quick turnaround for the Lakers, who defeated New Orleans on Tuesday night before immediately catching a flight to Oakland for tonight’s game. In what may have been his final game at Staples Center, Metta World Peace put the home fans into a frenzy by scoring 18 points with four steals. World Peace’s biggest scoring night in four years resulted in chants of “Metta! Metta!” and his teammates throwing water on him in celebration.

3)
While all eyes were on World Peace, Brandon Ingram briefly stole the spotlight with the most vicious play of his rookie year. The 19-year-old built some momentum coming downhill, giving New Orleans’ Cheick Diallo no shot at stopping him at the rim. Ingram was unphased by the challenge as he threw down the one-handed, and-1 slam while the arena went wild.

4)
Ingram is looking to end his first season with one more game of double-digit scoring, having hit that mark in each of his last 15 full games. The second-overall pick has shined during this stretch, averaging 14.1 points on 49.7 percent shooting.

5)
It’s been a while since the Lakers last saw the Warriors, having played them three times in November alone. L.A. dominated the first game by 20 points at home, but Golden State asserted itself in the latter two, winning by an average of 34.5 points.

6)
As expected, the Warriors’ surplus of talent has them atop the NBA standings. For three weeks they were practically unbeatable, winning 14 straight games before finally falling to Utah on Monday. This ridiculous run isn’t even surprising considering that Golden State leads the league in offensive efficiency (113.3 points per 100 possessions) and ranks second in defensive efficiency (101.2).

7)
The Lakers will have some openings to take advantage of as Defensive Player of the Year candidate Draymond Green and Sixth Man of the Year nominee Andre Iguodala will both rest this game. However, the Lakers will be without D’Angelo Russell, who returned home to Louisville following the unexpected death of his grandmother.

8)
The Warriors recently returned former MVP Kevin Durant, who missed five weeks of action due to injury. The four-time scoring champion is having the most efficient season of his career, averaging 25.0 points on a career-best 53.5 percent clip from the field, which ranks second among guards and wings, behind only LeBron James (54.8).

9)
Of course, the Warriors also boast the services of reigning MVP Stephen Curry, who has popped off for exactly 42 points in two of his last four games. Curry surged in Durant’s absence and currently ranks 10th in the NBA in scoring (25.4 ppg), while unsurprisingly leading all players in made 3-pointers (4.1).

10)
Curry’s backcourt partner, Klay Thompson, is coming into this game especially hot, having scored at least 20 points in eight straight games. The son of Showtime Laker Mychal Thompson, Klay has filled the bucket all year long, putting up a career-high 22.5 points per game while ranking second in the NBA in triples (3.5) behind Curry.

Injury Report
Lakers: Brandon Ingram (right patellar tendinitis) is probable. D’Angelo Russell (personal reasons) and Ivica Zubac (high right ankle sprain) are out.Warriors: Draymond Green (rest), Andre Iguodala (rest), Matt Barnes (right foot/ankle sprain) and Kevon Looney (left hip strain) are out.

Tip-Off: 7:30 p.m. PT
TV: Spectrum SportsNet and Spectrum Deportes
Radio: 710 ESPN and 1330 KWKW

Click here to view game notes for this contest.

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10 Things to Know: Lakers at Warriors (4/12/17)

Here is what you need to know before the Lakers finish the season’s home slate against the New Orleans Pelicans.

1)
Last game saw the Lakers win on one of the most emotional plays imaginable. After learning of his grandmother’s death that morning, D’Angelo Russell fired the game-winning 3-pointer at the final buzzer, which initially appeared to rim out before falling through for victory. Russell — who dedicated the shot to his grandma — flew home to Louisville the next day and will not play against New Orleans.

2)
Russell’s now-signature moment has the Lakers on their longest win streak in four years, having taken four straight over Memphis, San Antonio, Sacramento and Minnesota. Another triumph will give L.A. its most consecutive victories in one season since March 2012, when the roster still included the likes of Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum and Matt Barnes.

3)
A key cog in the Lakers’ current surge has been Tyler Ennis, who is a candidate to start this game in Russell’s stead. The 22-year-old has thrived lately, scoring double figures in six of his last eight games after failing to do so in all of his previous 44. Ennis’ success crescendoed in L.A.’s last win, when he scored a career-high 20 points while hitting four 3-pointers.

4)
With this being the home finale, it could also potentially be the last game at Staples Center for longtime fan favorite Metta World Peace. The 37-year-old has stated his desire to continue playing, either in the NBA or overseas, while head coach Luke Walton has been upfront about his desire to play him in gratitude for his commitment to the team. World Peace had the arena rocking in Sunday’s win, as he scored eight points in the fourth quarter to spur the Lakers’ comeback.

5)
The Lakers are facing a Pelicans team missing both of its superstars. It’ll be a relief for the L.A. frontcourt to not have to deal with Anthony Davis, who is the NBA’s fourth-leading scorer (28.0) and also ranks second in blocks (2.23) and seventh in rebounds (11.8). Davis dominated his previous meetings with the purple and gold, averaging the second-most points (35.3) of any Lakers’ opponent.

6)
Davis’ fellow All-Star, DeMarcus Cousins, will also sit out due to injury. The former Pacific Division foe had been pounding the opposition lately, collecting five double-doubles in his last six games while averaging 32.0 points and 14.0 rebounds.

7)
Without two of the NBA’s top 10 rebounders, the Pelicans will need to find a way to make up the difference on the glass, as they already have the league’s second-worst rebounding differential (-4.5). Plus, the Lakers have been excellent on the boards during their win streak, holding their opponents to the fewest caroms (37.8).

8)
While the Lakers have won four in a row, the Pelicans have dropped all of their last four. They have been getting walloped on the glass during this stretch — grabbing 15.0 fewer rebounds than the opposition — while also surrendering a league-high 124.0 points per game.

9)
Los Angeles native Jrue Holiday will be the Pelicans’ primary offensive option. The former All-Star ranks eighth in the NBA in assists (7.3) and is shooting a career-best 45.2 percent from the field.

10)
New Orleans recently called up two of the D-League’s most potent weapons. Jordan Crawford — the 2016 Chinese league scoring champion — has put up 20 points in back-to-back games while scoring double figures in 15 of his first 17 appearances. And rookie Quinn Cook, who led the D-League in scoring this year, poured in 22 points on 10-of-13 shooting in Saturday’s loss to Golden State.

Injury Report
Lakers: Brandon Ingram (right patellar tendinitis) is probable. D’Angelo Russell (personal reasons) and Ivica Zubac (high right ankle sprain) are out.Pelicans: E’Twaun Moore (left ankle sprain) is probable. Anthony Davis (left knee soreness), DeMarcus Cousins (right Achilles tendonitis), Omer Asik (illness) and Quincy Pondexter (left knee) are out. 