Brooklyn Nets vs LA Lakers Prediction & Match Preview - October 3rd, 2021

The top two 2022 championship favorites, the Brooklyn Nets and the LA Lakers officially kick off the 2021-22 NBA season with a preseason matchup on Sunday.

The LeBron James-led LA Lakers are the oldest team in the league, while the Brooklyn Nets aren't too far behind in that category too. So don't expect a showtime matchup, as the two teams could rest their stars.

Match Details

Fixture - Brooklyn Nets vs LA Lakers | NBA Preseason 2021-22.

Date & Time - Sunday, October 3rd, 2021; 3:30 PM ET (Monday, October 4th, 1:00 AM IST).

Venue - Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA.

LA Lakers Preview

Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis at the LA Lakers' Media Day [Source: Los Angeles Times]

The LA Lakers enter the 2021-22 NBA season as the Western Conference favorites. They will look to establish their dominance in the beginning of the regular season itself. The preseason is the perfect opportunity to develop some rhythm and figure out their player rotations.

Coach Frank Vogel spoke about the LA Lakers' starting lineup ahead of the preseason games, saying:

"I would say we’re certainly not going to have any decisions made before the last two preseason games. Hopefully, we’ll have some direction at that point, but we could still be looking at those last two games...The first four games, we’ll probably have a lot of guys in and out of the lineup. We won’t be whole in those games. Hopefully, we will be the last two. But like I said, I’m not putting a real timeline on it. Hopefully, we should have some real direction by then."

The LA Lakers' lineup is expectedly going to be haywire in the first few preseason games as the coaching staff experiments with different rotations.

We do know if LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony and Trevor Ariza are out of the game. Meanwhile, Anthony Davis might just the first quarter only. Coach Vogel has clarified that there are no injuries, and he is just managing the minutes of his players.

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Key Player - Anthony Davis

Anthony Davis at the LA Lakers Media Day

Even though Anthony Davis will likely only play the first quarter, a lot of eyes will be on him. He was last seen in the first round of the 2021 NBA playoffs, where his injury cost the LA Lakers the series. A lot of attention will be on his fitness and movement in the limited minutes he'll play in the upcoming preseason games.

Most of the stars in the LA Lakers team are north of 33, so Anthony Davis has to be the best version of himself. Many pundits, such as Shannon Sharpe from Undisputed, expect Davis to have an MVP-caliber season.

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LA Lakers Predicted Lineup

G - Kendrick Nunn, G - Malik Monk, F - Talen Horton-Tucker, F - Anthony Davis, C - DeAndre Jordan.

Brooklyn Nets Preview

Brooklyn Nets have a formidable 'Big 3.'

The Brooklyn Nets are the preseason favorites for the 2022 NBA championship. If their 'Big 3' of Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving are all healthy, it's difficult to imagine the team losing four times in a seven-game series.

Evidently, their biggest concern is fitness of their key players. The last time Harden and Irving were in the second round of the 2021 NBA playoffs, their subsequent injuries led to the Brooklyn Nets' ouster.

Coach Steve Nash has mentioned that Blake Griffin, Joe Harris, Patty Mills and James Johnson will not feature in the game along with the 'Big 3'. That leaves only a handful of players who'll lace up at the Staples Center.

Moreover, Irving's vaccination status has generated buzz in the NBA, as the seven-time All-Star may be forced to miss all his home games if he doesn't get at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

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Key Player - Paul Millsap

Paul Millsap (#4) last played for the Denver Nuggets.

The Brooklyn Nets signed Paul Millsap in free agency during the 2021 NBA offseason.

The 36-year-old forward will likely be the only veteran on the floor for the Nets, other than LaMarcus Aldridge. Millsap averaged 11.8 points and 6.1 rebounds per game during his stint with the Denver Nuggets. Now he has to show that he could be a valuable rotation piece for the Brooklyn Nets.

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Brooklyn Nets Predicted Lineup

G - Jevon Carter, G - Cam Thomas, F - Paul Millsap, F - LaMarcus Aldridge, C - Nicolas Claxton.

Nets vs Lakers Match Prediction

The LA Lakers should win this preseason game against the Brooklyn Nets because of the superior depth in their roster.

Even with their stars resting, the Lakers will have the likes of Rajon Rondo, Wayne Ellington, THT and several others on the floor. Not to mention that Anthony Davis might make enough of an impact in the first quarter itself.

Where to watch the Nets vs Lakers game?

The Brooklyn Nets vs LA Lakers game will be nationally broadcast on NBA TV, and will also have local coverage on Spectrum SportsNet and the YES app. The match can be streamed live with an NBA League Pass as well.

Also check out: Complete NBA Preseason TV Schedule for 2021