Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (ankle) and guard Dennis Schroder (foot) could be out for Tuesday night’s road game against the Orlando Magic. Anthony Davis (foot) and Juan Toscano-Anderson (ankle) are out indefinitely for Los Angeles.
Going into this interconference matchup, Los Angeles is 3-7 in their last 10 games. However, the Lakers are on a four-game skid. Despite having won the previous three meetings with Orlando, the contenders are not expecting an upset for this contest.
According to a pair of NBA betting sites, the Lakers have the 13th-best odds to win the championship in 2023. Several sportsbooks show better odds for the New Orleans Pelicans and Denver Nuggets.
NBA LINEUP ALERT: Lakers SF/PF LeBron James (ankle) and PG Dennis Schroder (foot) are out for Tuesday’s game against the Magic. pic.twitter.com/HQoyNicjeT
— DK Nation (@dklive) December 26, 2022
In 25 starts this season, James is averaging 27.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.1 steals. The four-time MVP also shot 49.6% from the field and 30.6% from beyond the arc.
In the year On November 26, James scored a season-high 39 points in 36 minutes in the Lakers’ 143–138 win over the San Antonio Spurs. In addition to grabbing 11 boards, the 18-time All-Star shot 11-of-21 (52.4%) from the floor and 7-of-12 (58.3%) from 3-point range.
Lakers forward LeBron James (ankle), guard Dennis Schroder (foot) could be out for the Magic on Tuesday.
As for Dennis Schroder, the 10-year veteran is averaging 10.5 points, 2.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 19 games this season. The guard has started 16 games. He is also shooting 43.5% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc.
Consistency and staying healthy have been major problems for the Lakers this season. Following Los Angeles’ 124-115 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Christmas Day, coach Darwin Hamm addressed his team’s concerns.
“We said before the game that we’re ready to start, support and finish with energy, effort and competitiveness. We left it in the locker room at halftime,” Hamm said after the loss.
“Man, it’s going to be a special time for me.”@Pp_doesit Sharing the court with LeBron James tonight pic.twitter.com/gYYdTO0idk
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) December 27, 2022
Now, the Lakers are 13-20 and in 13th place overall in the Western Conference. They are 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven contests against Eastern Conference opponents. On the other hand, Orlando is 8-1 in their last 9 games.
Pending further review of the Magic’s injury report, Jonathan Isaac (knee) and Chuma Okeke (knee) are out indefinitely. And Jalen Suggs is out for this interconference matchup with an ankle injury.
According to ESPN’s Basketball Power Index, the Magic have a 60% chance of beating the Lakers. Several sportsbooks project Los Angeles with a 3.5-point streak under Doug.
