The Lakers take a three-game win streak into their matchup with the vaunted Warriors at STAPLES on Tuesday
The Los Angeles Lakers likely want to forget the last time that the faced the Golden State Warriors as it was absolute bloodbath that saw the Lakers fall by 34 points. If anything else, the Lakers will be looking to avoid such an embarrassing result on Tuesday night as they welcome the Warriors to STAPLES Center riding a three-game winning streak of their own.
Both teams actually limp into this game quite a bit. Stephen Curry just returned to the Warriors on Monday night after missing time with a shin contusion while Harrison Barnes came back into the fold as well on Monday after being out more than a month with a sprained ankle. Moreover, Kobe Bryant is still being bothered by a sore shoulder and rookie point guard D’Angelo Russell was sent home from practice on Wednesday with a sore throat.
All the injuries in the world couldn’t save this Lakers team on Tuesday night, though. Even if Curry and Barnes are limited, the home team is facing such a severe talent discrepancy in this matchup that is insurmountable in seemingly every way. Even more troublesome than the fact that a loss is inevitable, though, is the feeling that the recent success of the Lakers is nothing more than a mirage.
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Wins have a funny way of playing tricks on the minds of fans. With Lou Williams playing out of his mind, Larry Nance Jr. really getting into a groove in his rookie season, and the Lakers having won three games in a row, it would be easy to say that things are getting better. However, all that serves to be is a smoke screen to all of the glaring problems in this organization.
After all, this is a rebuilding year whether the front office or head coach Byron Scott ever wants to admit that. But these last three wins have only further convoluted the situation in Los Angeles as Scott is now essentially publicly shaming one of the team’s young stars in Julius Randle and still refusing to put any of the blame of an 8-27 season on himself. The unrest is growing, even if the Lakers are 3-0 in their last three contests.
Those looking for optimism need only to look at the opposite sideline, though. Barnes will be on the free-agent market this summer and will likely be on the Lakers’ radar, as should interim Warriors head coach Luke Walton should also be. Even then, it’s going to be a tough pill to swallow on Tuesday when the walls come crumbling down.
The winning streak is almost indubitably coming to a close tonight and, with that, the illusion will start to crumble a bit more. Then fans are going to have to face the harsh reality that’s always been there, though sometimes more glaringly than others: this is a fractured organization that needs restructuring at the top for the future to fully be secure.
Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers
Date: Tuesday, Jan. 5
Start Time: 7:30 p.m. PT
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Arena: STAPLES Center
TV Info: NBA TV
Live Stream: NBA League Pass (unavailable until after the game)
Radio: Here
Betting Odds
Point Spread: Warriors -13
Moneyline: Warriors -1350, Lakers +900
O/U: 214.5
Injury Report
Los Angeles Lakers: Kobe Bryant (shoulder)—Questionable, D’Angelo Russell (sore throat)–Questionable
Golden State Warriors: James Michael McAdoo (toe)—Day-to-day, Festus Ezeli (toe)—Day-to-day, Leandro Barbosa (shoulder)—Day-to-day, Kevon Looney (hip)—Out, Stephen Curry (shin)–Questionable
Prediction
Even with the injury troubles of the Warriors, they are the far better team in this matchup simply capable of overwhelming the Lakers from 1-5. With Kobe possibly being out and now Russell being out in addition to the growing unrest with Scott at the helm of this team, I don’t see any way that the Lakers avoid getting absolutely trounced on Tuesday night to end their three-game losing streak.
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