Lakers (84) vs. Pelicans (111) | Game 13 of 82
Where to Watch and What Time
Date: Friday, Nov. 14
Tip-off: 5:00 p.m. PST
Location: Smoothie King Arena New Orleans, Louisiana
TV: Spectrum SportsNet
Radio: ESPN LA 710 / 1330 KWKW
Game Preview
For their second Cup Nights matchup and back-to-back games of the season, the Los Angeles Lakers are in New Orleans on Friday evening for the fourth contest of their five-game road trip.
The Lakers are 1-2 on their road trip and 5-2 overall on the road, following a one-sided blowout loss to Oklahoma City on Wednesday, which dropped their record to 8-4 and fifth in the Western Conference.
The Pelicans, on the other hand, are a great matchup for L.A. to gain ground and momentum, as New Orleans sits last in the West with a 2-9 record while currently riding a three-game skid.
Luka Dončić took the blame in L.A.s biggest loss of the season, a game that dropped his scoring average from 37.1 to 34.9 after scoring a season-low 19 points against the Thunder.
“It starts with me; I need to be way better than that, and we just got to figure it out,” Dončić said following the 29-point loss.
Austin Reaves was also held to his season low in scoring (13 points) against Oklahoma City, dropping his scoring average to below 30 points (28.3) for the first time this season.
The Opponents’ Leaders
With multiple top scorers out, the Pelicans have leaned on Trey Murphy III and Jeremiah Fears to carry the load. Murphy III is second on the team in scoring, averaging 18.5 per contest, and Fears averages 14 points per game.
Pelicans rookie center Derik Queen has slowly made a name for himself, averaging 16.3 points a game and 6.0 rebounds at home this season. He’s a player to watch in his matchup against Deandre Ayton.
Injury Report
Lakers:
Rookie Adou Thiero could make his NBA debut against the Pelicans, upgrading him to questionable for the first time this season and then probable after the team’s afternoon shootaround in New Orleans.
Pelicans:
What to Watch
Getting Back on Track:
Getting back on track in the win column is the most important task on the Lakers’ agenda, and it should be easier than most nights finding buckets against a New Orleans team that ranks the third-worst in defensive rating (121.3).
Look for Dončić and Reaves to have a big bounce-back performance against one of the NBAs worst defenses.
Defending a lackluster offense:
The Pelicans have been just as bad, if not worse, on offense this season, among the bottom three teams in scoring at 108.8 per game. New Orleans’ total offensive rating ranks the fourth-worst in the NBA, which has a lot to do with their top scorer being sidelined.
Threads for the Game
The Lakers will wear their white threads on the road, while the Pelicans will rock their red Statement Edition unis.
Next Matchup
The Lakers wrap up their five-game road trip in Milwaukee on Saturday and then trek back home for a Tuesday matchup against Utah.