The Los Angeles Lakers (43-26) could use a rebound game after losing 118-89 at home to the Milwaukee Bucks (39-30) on Thursday. They were without LeBron James (groin), Luka Doncic (ankle), and Austin Reaves (ankle), so a win would’ve been miraculous.
Their next matchup is more favorable. On Saturday, they will host the Chicago Bulls (30-40), who are ninth in the Eastern Conference and don’t have any upper-echelon players after trading Zach Lavine to the Sacramento Kings at the deadline.
Veteran point guard Coby White is now the team’s scoring leader with 19.8 points per game on 44 percent shooting, followed by Nikola Vucevic (18.7 PPG) and Josh Giddey (13.9).
Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey.
© Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Chicago will get Giddey back on Saturday after he missed its 128-116 win over the Sacramento Kings (35-34) on Thursday, as he’s off the injury report, via Bulls insider Drew Stevens.
Meanwhile, Tre Jones (foot) is listed as “questionable” and Kevin Huerter (thumb) is probable.
The Lakers are also in better shape for this game, as Doncic and Reaves are both probable while Rui Hachimura (patellar tendon) and James are questionable. The latter star has missed the last six games.
Los Angeles is currently a half-game behind the Denver Nuggets (44-26) for third place and two behind the Houston Rockets (46-25) for second in the Western Conference. However, they’re just one game ahead of the fifth-place Memphis Grizzlies (43-27).
The Lakers are healing at the right time, as they have 13 regular-season games left before the playoffs start in April.
