Lakers Seek to Seize Second Seed on Sunday

After picking up an important win over the Clippers on Friday, the Lakers face their city rivals again on Sunday. They are still battling injury problems, with Jordan Goodwin, Rui Hachimura, and Austin Reaves all out tonight.

Test of Depth

In Friday’s win over the Clippers, the Lakers’ depth was tested. With Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura being out injured – Reaves suffered a calf injury early on in the game and is now day-to-day – the Lakers leaned on the toughness and defense of Goodwin and Trey Jemison, but tonight Goodwin will also be out. They’ll have to call on more of the roster to step up in the absence of several rotation players. The Laker bench has consistently provided defensive effort and toughness when called upon, and LA will need more of the same tonight.

The Fight for Playoff Position

With a win tonight the Lakers would move into second place in the Western Conference. LA’s recent form has established them as real contenders, mainly due to their impressive defensive effort over the last few weeks. This season is the first time since the championship season in 2020 that they aren’t bouncing around the play-in spots. Instead, they’re fighting for home court advantage in the playoffs. Tip off is at 6:30 PM PST as the Lakers look to sweep a two-game mini-series vs the Clippers.