Scott Clark
Dec 14, 2023 - 09:10

Lakers Spurs Preview LeBron James Out

The Los Angeles Lakers face the San Antonio Spurs in a back-to-back game, with LeBron James and Anthony Davis questionable to play.

The Los Angeles Lakers are facing off against the San Antonio Spurs on the second night of a back-to-back on Wednesday evening. This game is part of a stretch of eight road games in December, giving the team a chance to find their rhythm away from home. Unfortunately, the Lakers were unable to start this road trip with a win, falling to the Dallas Mavericks 127-125 on Tuesday.

After winning the first In-Season Tournament in NBA history, the Lakers had some positive momentum heading into this Texas road trip. Despite their loss to the Mavericks, they now have two straight matchups with the struggling Spurs, who have lost 17 straight games.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis played heavy minutes in Tuesday's game, with James logging 40 minutes and Davis playing 37. This makes them questionable for Wednesday's matchup, along with Jarred Vanderbilt, who missed the game in Dallas with low back spasms.

Playing without James is a challenge, so other Lakers players will need to step up to secure a win against the Spurs. This will be the team's first look at highly touted rookie Victor Wembanyama, who has been compared to LeBron as one of the greatest prospects to enter the league. Wembanyama has had a strong start to his rookie year, averaging 18.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 2.8 blocks per game.

Despite Wembanyama's impressive performance, the Spurs have struggled offensively, ranking in the bottom four in the Western Conference in scoring and last in defense. With a 1-10 home record, the Lakers have a good chance of securing two straight wins against the struggling Spurs.

The matchup between Davis and Wembanyama will be one to watch, as both are skilled defensive centers. However, Davis's size and strength may give him the advantage in scoring against the young French player. The Lakers will need to shut down the Spurs early to prevent them from gaining confidence and making the game more competitive than expected.

Key reserves for the Lakers include Jarred Vanderbilt, Austin Reaves, Max Christie, Jaxson Hayes, and Christian Wood. Meanwhile, the Spurs will look to Zach Collins, Tre Jones, Cedi Osman, and Doug McDermott to make an impact off the bench.