The Los Angeles Lakers will meet the San Antonio Spurs for the first time this season tonight. The Lakers, who were riding high on the in-season tournament win, were brought back to earth with a narrow 127-125 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday. On the other hand, the San Antonio Spurs are struggling to find a win this season. With only three wins in the 22 games they have played so far, the Spurs stay rooted in the lower rungs of the West. However, tonight’s matchup presents an opportunity for the Spurs to break their 17-game losing streak.

The Lakers are decimated with injuries to key players. To top it off, they will be playing the second leg of a back-to-back, making it all the more strenuous for the veteran lineup. But the motivation for a comeback win might fuel their fire. Therefore, as both teams gird their loins ahead of the matchup, let’s take a look at their injury reports and starting lineups.

Lakers vs Spurs: Injuries and Predicted Lineups

The Lakers will have their work cut out since they are not just travelling from Dallas to San Antonio but are also coming off a few extra games due to the in-season tournament. Therefore, we can expect a few of their star players to sit out tonight. No injury report has been submitted yet. However, Coach Darvin Ham revealed that the Lakers are going to “play it by ear” when it comes to LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Jarred Vanderbilt’s availability.

Darvin Ham said the team will “play it by ear” when it comes to the availability of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Jarred Vanderbilt for the second night of the back-to-back tomorrow in San Antonio. Davis will be evaluated by the medical staff after appearing to tweak his hip.

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) December 13, 2023

James might take a night off following his frequent appearance on the injury report after he endured a calf injury on November 10. Anthony Davis is also questionable due to a groin injury that has plagued him for some time but flared up during the game versus the Mavs. Jarred Vanderbilt (back) and Jalen Hood-Schifino (back spasms) are also listed as game-time decisions. The only player who is truly ruled out is Gabe Vincent, due to a left knee effusion.

Their starting lineup might look like – D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, Taurean Prince, Cam Reddish, and Christian Wood.

The Spurs are only monitoring one player on the injury report. Their backup center Charles Bassey will miss the remainder of the season after tearing his left ACL. The Spurs’ starting lineup might look like this – Malaki Branham, Devin Vassell, Victor Wembanyama, Jeremy Sochan, and Keldon Johnson.

Prediction for tonight’s matchup

For tonight’s matchup, SportsLine consensus lists the Lakers as the 2.5-point favourites. The Spurs will enter the contest as underdogs with odds of +105, while the Lakers are favoured with odds of -125. However, despite the Lakers being favoured, the Spurs can capitalize on the Lakers’ injuries, especially since they’ll be fatigued after playing yesterday.

What are your predictions for tonight’s matchup? Let us know in the comments!

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