The Los Angeles Lakers play their first game of the new year on Wednesday against the Miami Heat, which begins a five-game homestand at Crypto.com Arena.
After a somber ending to 2023 by losing by 20 to the New Orleans Pelicans on New Year’s Eve, the Lakers are looking to start fresh in 2024. The December schedule featured a lot of road games and that constant travel weighed heavily on the team.
Home games were a rarity for the Lakers last month and now they get rewarded with a homestand, an opportunity to stack wins and not have to travel for a bit. Currently 3-7 in their last 10 games and riding a two-game losing streak, it is vital for the purple and gold to stay above .500 in a compact Western Conference.
Wednesday is the second and final meeting with the Heat, the first being Nov. 6 down in South Beach. The Lakers would lose 108-107, where Cam Reddish missed a game-winning 3-pointer as time expired. LeBron James scored 30 points and Austin Reaves had a near triple-double with 23 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists. Anthony Davis suffered his hip/groin injury that game, which made him a non-factor.
Injuries have been a theme for L.A. this season and while it had subsided as of late, they are beginning to spike back up. Rui Hachimura, who left Sunday’s game with a calf strain, is out against the Heat, as is D’Angelo Russell for the second straight game with a tailbone contusion. Gabe Vincent remains out as he recovers from left knee surgery.
On the Miami side of things, Jimmy Butler is out with a right foot injury as he missed four games with a calf issue and suffered this foot injury against the Utah Jazz on Dec. 30. Haywood Highsmith, Dru Smith and Caleb Martin are also out for the Heat.
Due to Butler’s injury, all eyes are on Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro, who are Miami’s top options offensively. With Davis now healthy, he is capable of keeping Adebayo in check, plus the perimeter defense of Reddish and Vanderbilt will help on Herro.
The Lakers cannot allow role players like Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Duncan Robinson, who are capable of putting points on the board, to have career nights. While the Heat are dealing with some injuries, head coach Erik Spoelstra gets his team to play with tons of energy and effort, so L.A. has to be able to match that in front of their home crowd and off a couple of days of rest.
Los Angeles Lakers (17-17) vs. Miami Heat (19-14)
7:00 p.m. PT, Jan. 3, 2024
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California
TV: Spectrum SportsNet, ESPN
Radio: 710 AM ESPN LA
Projected Lakers starting lineup:
PG: Austin Reaves
SG: Cam Reddish
SF: Taurean Prince
PF: LeBron James
C: Anthony Davis
Key Reserves: Jarred Vanderbilt, Max Christie, Christian Wood, Jaxson Hayes
Projected Heat starting lineup:
PG: Kyle Lowry
SG: Tyler Herro
SF: Jaime Jaquez Jr.
PF: Jamal Cain
C: Bam Adebayo
Key Reserves: Kevin Love, Duncan Robinson, Josh Richardson, R.J. Hampton
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