Lakers vs Warriors: LeBron James, Anthony Davis listed as questionable ahead of pivotal matchup
Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors shoots over Anthony Davis #3 and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers at Chase Center on January 27, 2024 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) (Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES - It’s going to be a showdown inside the Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday night.
The Los Angeles Lakers are set for a nationally televised home game against the Golden State Warriors in what appears to be a possible preview for the crucial play-in tournament game between the two California teams.
Going into Tuesday’s game, the Warriors are up 2-1 in the series this season.
Golden State's Stephen Curry and LA’s LeBron James have faced each other 22 times in the regular season dating back to 2009 and are tied at 11 wins apiece. Tuesday would mark their 23rd regular-season matchup. However, the latest injury report from the Lakers listed James, as well as Anthony Davis, as "questionable."
James has flu-like symptoms and Davis has left eye soreness after taking a shot to the face late in the first quarter during the Lake Show on Sunday night. Davis did not return to the game after suffering the injury.
The Western Conference is stacked, and the Lakers are battling for the eighth seed to give them a better chance of advancing to the official playoff rounds.
Going into Tuesday night’s game, the men in "Purple and Gold" are ranked ninth in the Western Conference and the Warriors are ranked tenth. If the playoffs were to begin Tuesday, the Lakers would have to beat the Warriors in the must-win game and would then face the loser of the play-in game between the seventh and eighth seeds – which would currently be the Pelicans and Kings.
Even in the final week of the league's regular season, it's hard to vision a playoff picture as 19 of the 20 seeds have yet to be determined.
Los Angeles’ chances of securing the eighth seed are slim. Lakers Nation host Trevor Lane reported that in order for that to happen, the Lakers would have to win their remaining three games of the season and either the Pelicans, Suns or Kings would have to lose twice.
After the Golden State game, the Lakers take on Memphis and New Orleans on the road.