Lakers vs. Suns preview: The show must go on

The Los Angeles Lakers season goes on Wednesday night, putting the focus back on the basketball court and away from Julius Randle's injury for at least a few hours. The purple and gold head to Phoenix to face the Suns in the second half of a back-to-back, and a game that was going to be tough before the terrible turn in the season opener is looking even grimmer.

It won't be an easy task slowing down the Suns endless riches of ball-handling players. Goran Dragic, Isaiah Thomas and Eric Bledsoe are going to attack the Lakers' perimeter defense, and there's little reason to believe Los Angeles is going to have enough energy or man power to stop what is sure to be a relentless assault. This will put pressure on Jordan Hill, Ed Davis and the rest of the Lakers' frontcourt to do their best to protect the paint.

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This is a very challenging start to the season for the Lakers, who are on schedule to play four games in five nights during opening week. Two sets of back-to-backs wouldn't be easy for any team just starting to get into game-shape, and this is a team that's suffered perhaps the worst gut punch possible in their season opener. On top of that, multiple players are still recovering from injury, most exemplified by Xavier Henry's 18-minute debut that amounted to nothing.

On the bright side, Kobe Bryant had a very good game against the Suns when they met in the preseason, putting on a vintage performance that fell a few missed free-throws short of leading the Lakers to victory. He's come out fiery in the past following injuries -- particularly after Andrew Bynum's gone down -- and he'll likely try to dig out what he's got left after an exhausting and disappointing night.

Basketball must go on, as do the Lakers. We'll see you then,

Time: 7 p.m.

Station: TWCSN