The Lakers (22-26) complete their back-to-back tonight with a visit from the San Antonio Spurs (14-33). The game begins at 7:30 p.m. PST and will be broadcasted on Spectrum SportsNet and ESPN Radio 710.
Here are three things to know about the matchup:
Unprecedented King
In his 20th season (and 1,404th regular season game), LeBron James managed to do something he’d never done before: hit nine 3-pointers in one night. The King — who entered shooting just 28.8% from deep — missed only five of his 3-point attempts en route to his career-high in treys, which were also the most by a Laker not named Kobe Bryant in franchise history.
But the 3-point line was not the extent of James’ impressive night. He dropped 46 points, giving him a 40-point game against every team in the league, and contributed eight rebounds and seven assists. Yet even his brilliance was not enough to stave off a Clippers team that hit 19 threes on a 50% clip, and defeated the Lakers by 18.
Nevertheless, LeBron continues to make history seemingly every time he hits the hardwood. Germaine to tonight, he needs just one 3-pointer to pass Jamal Crawford for 9th-most all-time. And, of course, the sports world continues to count down as he’s just 178 points away from eclipsing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s scoring king.
Reinforcements on the way?
James and co. could have some sizable help coming their way, as Anthony Davis might make his return from a foot injury, and Rui Hachimura may make his Lakers debut.
Prior to his injury, Davis was on the shortlist of MVP candidates and playing some of the best ball of his career. Through 25 games, he was averaging 27.4 points — his most as a Laker — plus career-highs in rebounds (12.1) and field goal percentage (59.4%). And that’s not to mention his everywhere-all-at-once defense that had him in Defensive Player of the Year discussions as well.
However, the Lakers have treaded water in AD’s absence, winning half of their games despite a rash of additional injuries, including to Austin Reaves and Lonnie Walker IV, who are also progressing toward returns (though likely not tonight).
Hachimura, meanwhile, joins the team via trade after averaging 13.0 points off the bench for Washington this season. The Toyama, Japan, native brings size and strength to the Lakers’ roster, as well as some interesting shooting clips.
This season, he’s hitting 51.2% from mid-range — fourth among players with at least 80 attempts. And his aforementioned strength has been key to hitting 72.7% of his shots in the restricted area, which is a hallmark area for the Lakers, who rank fourth in the league in the RA.
Hachimura’s 3-point shot is also an area of interest, as he hit 44.7% last year, 2nd among players with 120 attempts or more. However, that clip is down to 33.7% this season, more in line with his 35.6% career average. Still, Rui’s greatest contribution to the Lakers may be on the defensive end, where his stature gives the team a needed boost in size, which allows them to more properly align matchups.
Sputtering Spurs
The Lakers are looking for a sweep, as they’ve already taken their first three meetings against San Antonio.
The Spurs, who have dropped to the fourth-lowest record in the NBA, are on an extended slide. They’ve lost 10 of their last 12 games, and during that stretch they have the league’s worst defensive rating. However, that’s not to say that they can’t find victory tonight.
23-year-old Keldon Johnson is the driver of the Spurs’ offense, averaging a team-best 21.5 points per game. They also employ the services of sharpshooter Doug McDermott (42.1% from 3) and 7-foot-1 efficient center Jakob Poeltl.
But if the Spurs are to avoid the sweep, they’ll need to sharpen up the defensive side against a Lakers squad looking to make a splash with their cavalry potentially coming back. Keep an eye out for former Laker Stanley Johnson playing a key role in that defensive endeavor.