When the Rockets last played the Lakers on January 12, it turned out to be James Harden’s final game with Houston. At that time, the visitors from Los Angeles owned the NBA’s best record in the 2020-21 season.
Four months later, things have dramatically changed for both franchises, and not in a good way. Reeling from Harden’s exit and injuries throughout the roster, Houston has clinched the league’s worst record. Meanwhile, the defending champions have struggled with injuries to All-Star forwards LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and they may need to go through the West play-in tournament just to qualify for the 2021 playoffs.
Now, on a long-awaited championship banner unveiling night at Staples Center to honor the 2019-20 title team, the 2020-21 Lakers will look to keep their hopes alive of merely avoiding the play-in tournament. Right now, they’re in the No. 7 spot in the Western Conference, which would require winning a play-in game in order to make the playoffs.
Here’s when you should tune in to watch Wednesday’s game:
- Date: Wednesday, May 12
- Time: 9:30 p.m. Central
- TV Channel: AT&T SportsNet Southwest
- Live stream: fuboTV (watch for free in Houston markets)
Probable starting lineups
Houston Rockets (16-53)
- Guard: DJ Augustin
- Guard: Armoni Brooks
- Forward: Jae’Sean Tate
- Forward: KJ Martin
- Center: Kelly Olynyk
Los Angeles Lakers (38-30)
- Guard: Alex Caruso
- Guard: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
- Forward: LeBron James
- Forward: Anthony Davis
- Center: Andre Drummond
LeBron James is going to give that right ankle one more day of rest today vs. Knicks — and target a return on Wednesday vs. Rockets, sources tell @mcten and me.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 11, 2021
Houston’s injury report listed 11 of the team’s 17 players under standard contracts: Christian Wood (right ankle), John Wall (right hamstring), Eric Gordon (right groin), Sterling Brown (head/face lacerations), Kevin Porter Jr. (left ankle), Avery Bradley (personal reasons), Dante Exum (left calf), Danuel House Jr. (right ankle), DaQuan Jeffries (right ankle), David Nwaba (right wrist) and D.J. Wilson (health and safety protocols). Of those 11, the only potential options to play on Wednesday are Wood, House, and Jeffries, who are each questionable. The other eight are out.
The Rockets do have two additional players (Cameron Oliver and Khyri Thomas) on hardship exception deals, which assures them of meeting the NBA’s minimum requirement of eight active players.
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The Lakers will not issue an injury report until midday Wednesday, since they also played on Tuesday versus New York. In that game, they were without LeBron James (right ankle), Dennis Schroder (health and safety protocols), and Jared Dudley (right MCL tear). However, media reports have indicated that James will likely play versus Houston.
Note: This post first appeared on Rockets Wire. Follow us on Facebook!
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