The Lakers (13-16) face the Suns (18-12) on Monday evening in Phoenix for the second time this season. The game tips at 6 p.m. on Spectrum SportsNet and 710 ESPN radio.
Below are three things to know ahead of the matchup:
SHORTHANDED VS. THE SUNS
As we continue to await an official update on the foot of Anthony Davis, we do know that he will miss Monday night’s game. In addition, both LeBron James (left ankle soreness) and Austin Reaves (right ankle sprain) will be out, leaving the Lakers without perhaps their three best options to close games.
On the flip side, L.A. will get Wenyen Gabriel back on the court after he missed seven games with a shoulder sprain. Patrick Beverley is listed as questionable, after the vet missed the Wizards win with calf soreness, but he has a chance to play.
That leaves Darvin Ham with a tall task trying to sort out a new starting lineup, and new bench rotation, certain to feature combinations that have yet to play together this season.
With that said, Gabriel’s presence will be a welcome sight, as the Lakers missed his length, energy and athleticism. They’ve already started to play slightly bigger, due in part to rookie Max Christie.
MORE ON MAX
Throughout this season, and particularly in the last three games, 19-year-old rookie Max Christie has impressed his teammates and coaches on both ends of the floor. The 6’6’’ guard, who has the ability to defend up on bigger offensive players when needed, essentially took the bench rotation spot of Kendrick Nunn. He’s been taking full advantage. He had eight points with four boards and a block in 24 minutes off the bench against the Wizards.
“I’m so proud of our rookie Max Christie, he gave us some huge, huge minutes,” said Ham after the win against Washington.
By hitting two three-pointers for the second straight game, Christie upped his percentage from distance to 44.4 percent, converting 12 of his 27 attempts on the young season. In his lone year at Michigan State, the former McDonalds All-American shot 31.7 percent from three, hitting 39 of 123 shots, still a small sample size, but perhaps one reason why he slipped to 35th in the Draft. That he was still there at 35 was a source of much excitement within the Lakers’ scouting department, who liked his shooting stroke, and thought his percentages would rise as he grew.
Christie has not only put on 11 pounds since he first reported to the Lakers in the summer at 189 pounds, helping him with the base and follow through of his shot, but he’s adjusted his technique just a bit, releasing the ball from his fingertips, and not letting it first settle into his palms.
Christie was already defending and rebounding at a high level, so the development not just of the shooting, but of the quick decision making on offense pointed out by no less than LeBron James, has the Lakers excited about his present, and future.
SLUMPING SUNS NO MORE?
After leading the Western Conference for much of the early 2022-23 season, the Phoenix Suns hit a rough patch from Dec. 2 to Dec. 13, losing six of seven games, and five in a row.
But in their last two contests, they’ve bounced back with wins against the Clippers (111-95) and Pelicans (118-114), boosted by a 58-point performance from Devin Booker to avenge two prior losses to New Orleans. Booker had missed two games during the losing streak with hamstring tightness before returning in dominant fashion.
And yet, Booker isn’t expected to play against the Lakers, likely to sit due to a groin injury. That will surely change the game plan for Phoenix, as the offense has increasingly run through Booker this season, after Chris Paul still held, or at least shared, the reigns for much of the prior campaign.
Meanwhile, DeAndre Ayton has been out for the last two games, dealing with an ankle injury that leaves him a question mark to play. Ayton did participate in shootaround on Monday, so his availability appears to be trending towards the positive.
Phoenix started Bismack Biyombo in the middle against the Pelicans, towards 11 points and six boards, while backup big Jock Landale won’t be available due to a concussion suffered in that same game.