The Lakers will have the chance to get right back to the winning column as they continue their road trip in Brooklyn where they face the Nets on Easter Sunday. This is game 74 for the purple and gold, so time is ticking for them to climb up the Western Conference standings.
Start time and TV schedule
Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Brooklyn Nets
When: 3 p.m. PT, Mar 31
Where: Barclays Center
Watch: Spectrum Sportsnet
The last time the Lakers played the Brooklyn Nets was in January, when they were run off their own home floor by Cam Thomas. It was one of the most disappointing games of the season and arguably of the Anthony Davis and LeBron James era.
But that’s yesterday’s news and the only thing the Lakers can do about it is to ensure they don’t lose another game against them. In fact, L.A. should approach Easter Sunday’s match against the Nets with revenge on their mind.
After losing on the road in the midst of a three-game in four-day stretch to the high-paced Pacers, the Lakers need to get their groove back ASAP. This is the get-right game that they need to take advantage of.
That said, here are two storylines worth taking note of ahead of Sunday’s afternoon battle:
The return of Gabe Vincent
The Lakers’ free agent signee is reportedly expected to suit up tomorrow against the Nets after missing exactly 69 games this season. He’s obviously not going to be in top shape but Vincent’s addition could be a huge boost for the Lakers moving forward if — and that’s a big if — his minutes don’t affect the current guard rotation.
Speaking of the current guard rotation, with the way Austin Reaves, Spencer Dinwiddie, and D’Angelo Russell are playing right now, it’s going to be interesting to see whose minutes depreciate with Vincent's arrival. There’s also Max Christie — who will be a restricted free agent this summer — looking to get some burn. Suffice it to say that Darvin Ham has his work cut out for him regarding how he will handle his guard rotation.
Who’s going to ball out?
Multiple players will compete against their former team in this game, such as Dinwiddie, Dennis Schröder, Lonnie Walker IV and Russell. All of them are vital to their current team’s success, even if the Nets are most likely not going to make it to the play-in tournament.
But in order for their corresponding teams to win on Sunday, at least one of them has to ball out, and hopefully, it’s either Dinwiddie — who returns to Brooklyn for the first time since getting bought out — or Russell.
If the Lakers are serious about wanting to win their last eight games of the season then there’s no excuse for them to lose to a team like the Nets. Note that the ninth seed is still very much in jeopardy with the Golden State Warriors (who have the easiest strength of schedule ahead) and even the Houston Rockets lurking below them.
Let’s see if the Lakers can make up for one of their horrible losses this season with a revenge game on Sunday against the Nets.
Notes and Updates:
- For the Lakers’ injury report, Gabe Vincent (left knee surgery) is now listed as questionable alongside Anthony Davis (left knee hyperextension) and LeBron James (left ankle peroneal tendinopathy).
- Christian Wood (left knee effusion), Jarred Vanderbilt (right midfoot sprain) and Jalen Hood-Schfino (back disc surgery) are out.
- As for the Nets, Ben Simmons (left lower back) and Keita Bates-Diop (right tibia fracture) are out. Cameron Johnson (left toe) is questionable and Dennis Smith Jr., (right hip) is probable.
You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani