Lakers vs. Suns Preview: Can L.A. win a preseason game?

LeBron James has made it clear that the Lakers don’t care about the results of their preseason schedule, and that part of the reason the team has gone 0-3 is that they’re still adjusting to their overhauled offense. That’s all valid context, but with all of it noted: It couldn’t hurt to win one of these games, right?

That’s the task on the docket for the Lakers as they get ready to play against the Phoenix Suns for the second time this week, with this matchup taking place at Staples Center on Sunday. The team certainly doesn’t have to win any preseason games, but it’s always preferable to avoid doing similar things as the ultimately doomed 2012-13 Lakers. Especially when Dwight Howard is also on this roster.

Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images

Now look: I’m not saying a winless preseason will lead to Frank Vogel getting fired and taking pictures with fans at Chik-Fil-A like a modern-day reboot of Dwightmare-era Mike Brown, but why even leave that possibility out there? While the games don’t technically matter, outscoring a team in one would be a nice chance for the team to get rewarded for their efforts at learning a more complicated new offense and integrating tons of new pieces defensively.

Oh God, I just realized that’s exactly what the “Now This Is Going To Be Fun” Lakers were doing in that doomed preseason (Remember the Princeton offense?). The fact that I’m not even the only one drawing such dark comparisons is just more evidence that this team really needs to win a game, regardless of who plays. Even if it’s not this specific one, they gotta clear this stink out of the air at some point.

Notes and Updates

• The Lakers canceled their previously scheduled Saturday practice and Sunday shootaround.
• Before the team’s loss to the Warriors, Frank Vogel gave an update on how Trevor Ariza ended up in surgery before the season even began.
• Ariza was originally the only name on the injury report for the Lakers, but the team updated it later Saturday night — after this story was originally published — to reveal new injuries to Talen Horton-Tucker (right thumb sprain) and Malik Monk (right groin strain).

The Lakers and Suns will tip off on Sunday at 7 p.m. PT. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN, and locally on Spectrum SportsNet.

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