The Los Angeles Lakers have returned to Las Vegas, the place the good vibes of summer league were cranked up to the maximum. The Sacramento Kings are next up for a preseason showdown that may, or may not, be the first battle between two of the top point guards of the rookie class.
Lonzo Ball remains questionable to play Sunday against the Kings, still nursing a mild ankle sprain. You can already hear the millions.... and millions... of Twitter users tapping their touchscreen phones to type “Lonzo ducked again lol.”
(UPDATE 10:30 a.m. PT: Lonzo is out, as is Andrew Bogut)
Aside from Ball, the rest of the Lakers should be ready to roll out. Brook Lopez is set to make his debut, and that’s no small addition to a team that’s struggled to find answers on both ends of the floor. What he brings to the floor alone offensively is going to be a big help for the Lakers, and we’ll see how his defense pans out. The Lakers have been playing Ivica Zubac, Thomas Bryant and smaller lineups through the first few games of preseason, and Lopez could actually be a better team defender right now than some of the younger options.
Brandon Ingram could absolutely use a breakout game to wash away the funk he’s stuck in. One of the biggest stories coming out of El Segundo was how much work Ingram’s put in through the offseason, but it’s been disheartening to see there’s been no fruit for that labor just yet.
The Lakers and Kings will be donating all proceeds generated from the game to directly benefit the victims, families, and first responders of the tragic Las Vegas shooting. One week after a horrifying night, the city of Vegas comes together for a game of basketball.
Time: 6 p.m. PT
TV: Spectrum SportsNet, ESPN