The Lakers (48-26) are back at it on Tuesday against the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers (47-28).
L.A. looks to extend their winning streak to four in a row and split the season series with Cleveland.
Start time and TV schedule
Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
When: 7:30 p.m. PT, Mar 31
Where: Crypto.com Arena
Watch: Spectrum Sportsnet
The Lakers took care of business on Monday night by putting the Washington Wizards to bed early. Because of that, they’re better equipped to take on the Cavaliers, who will also be on the second
night of a back-to-back after defeating the Utah Jazz on the road.
For the Cavs, they’re still fighting for playoff positioning, given that they’re just a game behind the New York Knicks, who are currently on a losing streak. So there’s no doubt that Cleveland will bring it on Tuesday because they want that third seed in the Eastern Conference while the Lakers look to maintain the third spot in their own conference.
The good news for the purple and gold is that Luka Dončić will suit up in this one after serving his one-game suspension on Monday. Dončić, who will be coming off three days of rest, will have fresh legs, so it’s fair to expect him to carry a big load as usual. Meanwhile, Cleveland will have Jarrett Allen, who sat against the Jazz surely with an eye on Tuesday’s game in LA.
That said, this is the perfect opportunity for the Lakers to see how they do against an above-average team. If anything, it’s a match that could prepare them against the Oklahoma City Thunder, whom they face on the road right after.
The Lakers will go up against a Cavaliers team that is not only led by two dynamic All-Star guards in Donovan Mitchell and James Harden but has the sixth-best offensive rating in the league. Although the Cavs’ defense has been a weakness, their offense is capable enough to combat it, especially on a good day. L.A.’s perimeter defense will obviously be tested in this one and it’s going to be interesting to see how JJ Redick gameplans for it.
Note that the Cavs also average the fourth most paint touches in the league as well (26.2) and that’s not a surprise given that they employ Allen and Evan Mobley. They’re not an ideal matchup for the Lakers, as proven by the Cavs’ three-game winning streak against them dating back to 2024.
But in the lone game between both teams this season, L.A. caught a good shooting night from Jaylon Tyson and De’Andre Hunter. The latter is no longer employed by the Cavs and the former is out injured. The Lakers also weren’t playing their best basketball, contrary to now, and Harden was not a Cavalier yet.
So this is pretty much feels like both teams are seeing each other for the first time this season. It comes in a crucial time of the year, though, where both playoff teams have to look out for their overall record. Suffice it to say that this one should be competitive.
Let’s see if the Lakers can come out of it with the victory.
Notes and Updates
- Since both teams are going to play on the second night of a back-to-back, there won’t be an injury report until hours before tipoff.
You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani.
