The regular season continues on Tuesday for the Los Angeles Lakers after they won the inaugural NBA Cup on Saturday. They will start a three-game road trip with a contest against Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks.
The Mavs defeated L.A. at Crypto.com Arena nearly three weeks ago, and L.A. will surely want to make up for what happened on that night.
The team has been surging over the last month, and it has been getting healthier. Forward Jarred Vanderbilt, one of its best and most versatile defenders, recently returned after being sidelined since early in the preseason with heel bursitis. Guard Gabe Vincent appears close to returning himself.
Unfortunately for the Lakers, Vanderbilt will not play on Tuesday due to a back issue.
Vanderbilt is out, per the Lakers. https://t.co/eDyotp9OiI
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) December 13, 2023
For the Mavs, star guard Kyrie Irving will not play because of a heel injury, giving the Lakers a big opportunity to improve on their 14-9 record and their sixth-place standing in the Western Conference.
With a win, they can leapfrog the Mavs, who are 14-8 and in third place in the West.