After the shortest offseason in NBA history, the Los Angeles Lakers are back on the court with an excellent opportunity to claim the lead for the most championships in NBA history. The Los Angeles Lakers begin their title defense on Tuesday night, 71 days after the Lakers defeated the Miami Heat to win the 2020 Championship down in the NBA bubble on the shores of Lake Buena Vista.
In addition to Tuesday night being the first Lakers game since October 11, it’s also the first regular season Laker game inside Staples Center since March 10.
- Date: Dec. 22
- Time: 10 p.m. ET
- TV Channel: TNT
- Point spread via BetMGM: Lakers -2.5
After the Lakers won the championship, Vice President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka renovated the roster around their star talent and the younger players who showed they could contribute to a championship team. The additions of Dennis Schröder, Montrezl Harrell, Marc Gasol, and Wesley Matthews, as well as growth from younger players such as Talen Horton-Tucker and Kyle Kuzma, have this Lakers team in position to repeat so long as their two superstar talents stay healthy.