The Los Angeles Lakers will be looking to extend their winning streak to double digits when they host the Orlando Magic before preparing for a grueling five-game road trip.
The Lakers have managed to keep the ball rolling despite the recent absence of Anthony Davis as he continues to recover from a gluteus maximus contusion. Rajon Rondo also remains out with a fractured finger he suffered after registering a triple-double in the win against the Oklahoma City Thunder, leaving them without another playmaker to help facilitate the offense.
Fortunately, LeBron James was able to make his way back into the starting lineup against the Cleveland Cavaliers and he was nothing short of spectacular versus his former team. He may have to make do once again since Davis will be forced to miss another game.
The Magic have gotten off to a slow start to the 2019-20 NBA season and are now barely working their way to .500 on the year. They were able to get back into the win column with a controversial victory over the Sacramento Kings to remain in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
Orlando has already been dealt some crucial blows as of late with Jonathan Issac out indefinitely with a knee injury. Meanwhile, Al Farouq-Aminu is set to be sidelined for the rest of the year after recently undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus.
On a less serious note, DJ Augustin and Michael Carter-Williams remain questionable to play in Los Angeles. Augustin aggravated his knee injury versus Sacramento and Carter-Williams is still trying to work his way back from a shoulder injury that has kept him out for nearly month now.
The Magic will be relying heavily on Aaron Gordon after finally showing some promise with a clutch performance versus the Kings in the midst of a disappointing start to the year. They are hoping it can potentially serve as a launch pad for a potential resurgence from an individual standpoint, however, he will have his work cut out trying to score against the stingy defense that awaits in Los Angeles.
The Lakers have had to rely on their depth as of late and it has paid huge dividends for players like Kyle Kuzma and Alex Caruso when it comes to finding their rhythm on offense. Their play has afforded head coach Frank Vogel the luxury of taking a cautious approach with Davis’ return since they still hold a 5.5-game lead atop the Western Conference.
Los Angeles Lakers (32-7) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (12-27)
7:30 P.M. PT, Jan. 13, 2020
Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
TV: Spectrum SportsNet
Radio: 710 AM (ESPN), 1330 KWKW (Spanish)
Projected Lakers Starting Lineup:
PG: LeBron James
SG: Avery Bradley
SF: Danny Green
PF: Kyle Kuzma
C: JaVale McGee
Key Reserves: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Dwight Howard, Alex Caruso, Quinn Cook
Projected Magic Starting Lineup:
PG: Markelle Fultz
SG: Evan Fournier
SF: Khem Birch
PF: Aaron Gordon
C: Niokola Vucevic
Key Reserves: Terrance Ross, Wes Iwundu, Mohamed Bamba