Recent Lakers rumors are that the team will be playing their first game of the season against the Portland Trail Blazers on the road.
As we get closer to the release of the NBA schedule for the 2018-19 season, recent Lakers rumors have been about a couple of their matchups that have been leaked. On Tuesday, it was reported that the Lakers will be playing the Golden State Warriors on Christmas Day.
With Christmas Day being one of the biggest on the calendar for the NBA, having the Lakers battling the Warriors will be a great matchup. That game could mark the first time LeBron James plays Stephen Curry and company in a Lakers uniform.
On Wednesday, it was reported that the Lakers will be starting the season on the road on October 18th against the Portland Trail Blazers.
LeBron James and the Lakers open their season on October 18 on the road against the Blazers, per league sources.
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) August 8, 2018
While Portland is a very good team, seeing the Lakers starting the LeBron era on the road is very shocking. Also, while Portland is a likely playoff team, they don’t bring the same attention that a game against the Warriors or Houston Rockets would in the first game of the season for the Lakers.
For the Lakers, the game against the Trail Blazers will test them right off the bat. Portland has brought back their core of players from last season, and they will certainly be hungry after a poor showing in the Western Conference Playoffs. After finishing with the third-best record in the West, Portland was swept in the first round by the Pelicans.
Facing the three seed from the West right away will give the Lakers a good idea of what they need to work on. While adding LeBron will make the Lakers a better team, it could take some time for them to all gel together.
With some of the games being leaked already, we should know the entire schedule for the Lakers very soon. Furthermore, we will still have to wait to find out when James’ first game at home will be.