Lakers vs. 76ers Preview: Who’s even going to play in this one?

The Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers will go head-to-head at Staples Center on Thursday, which would be a big deal if both teams were healthy. However, with LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Joel Embiid all nursing injuries, Thursday’s contest is expected to be the latest national TV letdown for the NBA.

That doesn’t mean there won’t be plenty of eyes around the Lakers and 76ers on Thursday, though. As reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN on Wednesday, the Lakers and 76ers are among the teams hoping to land Kyle Lowry before the trade deadline, which is Thursday at 12:00 p.m. PT.

If Lowry is traded to either the Lakers or 76ers before the game, he obviously won’t be available, but neither will the players that they traded for him. The same thing can be said about any play the Lakers or 76ers trade for, so both teams’ benches may look barren on Thursday.

Honestly, the more that I think about it, the less certain I am that I can say anything about it other than that there will be a game and a few players from both teams will participate in it. Which ones? Your guess is as good as mine at this point.

The Lakers and 76ers will tip-off at 7 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on TNT.

Notes and Updates

• Anthony Davis (right calf strain), Jared Dudley (right MCL tear) and LeBron James (right ankle sprain) are out. Marc Gasol isn’t on the injury report, but his status for Thursday’s game is unknown. Vogel has held Gasol out of the last two games so he can get back in shape after three weeks without games.

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