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The LA Lakers head to the Spectrum Center on Monday to conclude their Grammy trip against the Charlotte Hornets. On paper, the Purple and Gold are favorites to win and snap their six-game trip, having won thrice.
Even if LeBron James and Anthony Davis sit out, LA is poised to beat a team that's well below .500, and stay primed to take on Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets at home soon after.
Such has been the kind of road trip for the West Coast team that they lost two games they should have won but notched up handsome wins against teams they weren't favorites in.
Ahead of the matchup James made it clear that LA won't take the Hornets for granted, as they could hurt LA. Charlotte is on a seven-game slide and lost at the Crypto.com Arena on Dec. 28.
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Davis propped up 26 points in LA's 133-112 win. They also lead the head-to-head matchup 41-15 in the regular seaon. LA will look to end their road stretch on a high, but the question is if the Hornets still have some sting left.
LA Lakers vs Charlotte Hornets: Preview, betting tips, and prediction
Game details:
Teams: LA Lakers (26-25) vs Charlotte Hornets (10-38)
Date and time: Feb. 5, 2024 | 7 pm ET
Venue: Spectrum Center, Charlotte
LA Lakers vs Charlotte Hornets: Preview
At this point, it's all about wins for LA. Every win gets them a step closer to a better finish. With 31 games left in the regular season, a stacked West doesn't make it easy for James and Co. as they seek to reach the playoffs.
The new-look team without Jarred Vanderbilt, who's expected to miss the remainder of the season with a right foot sorenes, will not have the same impact on defense, but they have pieces who can collectively do the job.
Vanderbilt's absence opens up more opportunity for Rui Hachimura, which means Taurean Prince coming off the bench to provide more spark on offense. The defense will pretty much need to be LA's identity for the remainder of the season.
The Hornets, meanwhile, have struggled this season, and injuries to LaMelo Ball and Gordon Hayward leave their participation in doubt. Both players didn't suit up against the Indiana Pacers.
However, if they take inspiration from LA, who beat the formidable Boston Celtics without superstars James and Davis, this game could be a humdinger.
LA Lakers vs Charlotte Hornets: Predicted starting lineups
Davis (bilateral Achilles tendinopathy and hip spasms) and James (left ankle peroneal tendinopathy) are listed as questionable.
Vanderbilt (right foot soreness) Cam Reddish (right ankle sprain) and Gabe Vincent (left knee surgery) are ruled out. Expect the Lakers to go with the same lineup as they did against the Knicks.
D'Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, LeBron James, Rui Hachimura and Anthony Davis are likely to be the starting five for the visitors.
The Hornets, meanwhile, are yet to release their updated injury report for Monday. But should Ball and Hayward miss out, Charlotte will field the same starters they did, with Ish Smith and Brandon Miller sharing guard duties. Miles Bridges, Bryce McGowens and Nick Richards will likely round up the rest of the starters.
LA Lakers vs Charlotte Hornets: Betting tips
Spread: Lakers (-10.5) vs Hornets (+10.5)
Moneyline: Lakers (-535) vs Hornets (+400)
Total (o/u): 231.5
Player props: Davis is the player to watch out for the Lakers with an o/u of 26.5 (-113 over and -121 under). James comes in with 24.5 (-121o/-113u). Meanwhile, for the Hornets, Bridges is 24.5 (-106o/-120u).
LA Lakers vs Charlotte Hornets: Prediction
The Hornets are underdogs and apart from missing two of their stars, they also battle fatigue and inconsistency. The purple and gold, meanwhile, are high on confidence and a win will also give them some breathing space on the standings. Chalk up a win for LA.
