Lakers Resting Players Tuesday to Be Ready for Luka's Homecoming in Dallas Wednesday

[omahen]

Several Lakers players, including LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Dorian Finney-Smith and Gabe Vincent are listed as questionable due to various injuries for Tuesday's game against the Thunder. Rui Hachimura is ruled out.  Hopefully, the Lakers will have a full squad for Luka's homecoming in Dallas Wednesday.

wab

Lakers are playing 4th and 5th game in 7 days today and tomorrow. From that perspective it is very understandeable that some rest is needed. It is obviously much higher possibility they win against Mavs than OKC, so (if rest is needed), it makes sense to go all in on the second game and not the first one.

Still, they need 2 wins in last 4 games to make the playoffs (this would also lock them on third spot). Intentionally dropping a game means you need to win 2 out of 3 and room for mistakes/bad days gets smaller. 

It will be interesting for me to see, who will be more motivated in Mavs-LAL game. I think Mavs players are fed up with all the Luka drama they don't really have a lot to do with. I think they will want to show fans they are still here. On the other side, I don't think Lakers players  (other than Luka of course) really care for this one, other than the obvious need to win in a playoff race. Even Luka, his beef is with Nico/Dumont, not the players. He doesn't hate the players. My expectation is, that Mavs will be very motivated and look surprisingly good. Trap game for Lakers.