The Los Angeles Lakers have experienced a roller coaster of emotions in the first two games of their East Coast road trip.
The Lakers are looking to end their road trip on a positive note Sunday when they visit the Philadelphia 76ers.
Luka Doncic (personal reasons) has not played in the first two games of the trek, although coach J.J. Redick suggested the Slovenian star will return to the team “soon.” On Saturday, Doncic announced the birth of his daughter, Olivia.
Without Doncic, Los Angeles posted a 123-120 win in Toronto on Thursday on a Rui Hachimura game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer. The following night in Boston was a different story, however, as the Celtics outscored the Lakers 39-17 in the first quarter en route to a 126-105 victory.
“A late night, not a lot of sleep, whatever it was,” said Jake LaRavia, who started in place of LeBron James (back/left foot). “But at the end of the day, our job is to come out here on the court and that starting group, me included, we’re supposed to come out with a bang, come out with some pop and kind of get the game going. And it just didn’t happen.”
James sat out Friday after watching his record-setting streak of double-digit scoring performances end in Toronto. The Raptors limited James to eight points, marking his first single-digit scoring effort since 2007. He’s listed as questionable for Sunday’s game.
Austin Reaves has taken on a larger scoring role with the team shorthanded. He has scored 80 points in the first two games of the road trip and is scoring with impressive efficiency. Reaves is 22-of-39 (56.4%) from the field, 42.1% from 3-point range and 28-of-32 from the foul line.
“Our fight was good,” Redick said. “There were a lot of moments when we certainly could have broken and we didn’t, and it’s a credit to our guys.”
Philadelphia has won three straight games – one short of a season best – including a 116-101 triumph against the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday. Joel Embiid (knee) did not play and Tyrese Maxey scored 12 points – nearly 20 points below his season average – but Paul George stepped up with perhaps his best game of the season.
“It felt great,” George said after scoring 20 points with five rebounds, five assists and zero turnovers. “I felt like myself again. It’s great because I believe I’m not done yet. So, it was great to (have) everything come back to me and feel like it was just natural.”
For Maxey, who shot just 5-of-14 from the floor, the scoring support was a welcomed sight. George (knee/ankle) has been limited to seven games this season, while many of the team’s other key players have missed time as well.
“He’s worked extremely hard to get back to the lineup and back playing and he did that tonight. He was really good in a lot of different areas,” Maxey said.
Embiid is listed as questionable vs. the Lakers as he recovers from his left knee injury.
Doncic leads the NBA in scoring at 35.3 points per game entering Saturday’s action, followed by Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (32.8) and Maxey (31.6). Reaves is fifth at 29.3 points per game.
The teams split their season series in 2024-25. Los Angeles has lost its last seven games at Philadelphia.
