After a couple of days off, the Lakers (19-22) return to action against the Mavericks (23-19) on Thursday night. The game tips at 7:00 p.m. on Spectrum SportsNet, TNT, and 710 ESPN Radio.
Below are three things to know ahead of the matchup:
INJURY UPDATES
After an already banged up team lost Patrick Beverley to a hip injury against the Nuggets on Monday night, the Lakers got a couple of days rest to heal up and recover heading into this game vs. Dallas.
The full injury report reflects some of this progress:
- LeBron James (left ankle soreness) and Troy Brown, Jr. (left quad strain) - Probable
- Patrick Beverley (right hip soreness) - Questionable
- Anthony Davis (right foot stress injury), Austin Reaves (left hamstring strain), and Lonnie Walker IV (left knee tendonitis) - Out
LeBron's return after a one game absence gets top billing and is the most important step towards the team getting back to their winning ways. But Troy Brown's return after missing the past three games is also great news for a team reeling on the wing.
Beyond the basic need for perimeter reinforcements, Brown's size and all-around game add a dimension the team has been missing since he went down with his quad injury against the Heat (1/4). In his last five games, Brown had found his shooting stroke, hitting 44.4% of his three-pointers and 50% of his shots overall. He'd also been a key contributor on the backboards, grabbing 4.5 rebounds, helping the team defend and finish possessions while playing smaller lineups.
FIVE GAME HOME STAND
Tonight's game against Dallas begins a stretch of five consecutive games at home for a Lakers team that hasn't seen much time there this season. Only the Blazers (16) have played fewer home games than the Lakers' 18 and this stretch of games offers an opportunity for the team balance out their schedule and get into a rhythm.
Here's a closer look at the opponents:
- 1/12: Mavericks
- 1/15: 76ers
- 1/16: Rockets
- 1/18: Kings
- 1/20: Grizzlies
Besides the Philly game, this is a west-heavy slate that gives the Lakers a chance to not only build on its 10-8 record at home, but make a move in the standings at the same time. Interestingly, not a single Western Conference team has a winning record on the road (Memphis, Denver, and Sacramento are all .500 but none are better), a trend the Lakers will do their best to keep going.
If that is going to be the case, it will need to come on the defensive side of the ball. The Lakers have been a fairly consistent offensive team whether at home or on the road, but their defense has been markedly better at home as they've boasted a 110.0 defensive rating there vs. a 116.3 rating as the away team.
MATCHUP WITH DALLAS
When these teams matched up on Christmas day, the Lakers did well to contain the Mavs in the first half by sending double teams at Luka Doncic to limit his shot attempts and forcing his teammates to hit shots -- which they were unable to do. Then the 3rd quarter happened and Dallas blew the game open with a 51-point explosion that turned the game around and propelled them to victory.
In this game the Lakers will again be put between a rock and a hard place in how they deal with Doncic. He's able to beat you with his scoring or his passing and, in an attempt to limit both, what typically ends up happening is defenses don't stop either and he picks teams apart. Whatever strategy is deployed against him, however, varying up the looks in an attempt to keep him off balance is one way to try to slow him down some.
The Mavs are dealing with their own injury issues, particularly on the defensive side of the ball with some of their key defenders banged up. Dorian Finney-Smith (adductor strain) and Maxi Kleber (hamstring tear) are both out, while Dwight Powell is questionable with a hip contusion he suffered vs. the Clippers on Tuesday (1/10). Offensively, the Lakers can look to take advantage of these absences by attacking the rim with their multiple rim-seeking players and then going to the offensive glass with their own bigs to force Dallas to close out possessions with a defensive rebound.
The pace this game is played at will be another important factor. The Mavs are 29th in pace while the Lakers rank 2nd. The team that can best institute their style of play has the better chance to get the win. For the Lakers, playing to their identity by hunting transition opportunities and trying to turn ball pressure and swarming defense into turnovers can be an important part of their success.