Lakers Add Two Games Following Elimination From NBA Cup

Ricardo Sandoval | 8 Hours Ago

Nov 29, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; A general overall view as Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) passes the ball against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace (22) in the first half of a NBA Cup game at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The NBA has added two more games for the Los Angeles Lakers following their elimination from the Emirates NBA Cup.

The Lakers will now play two games while the NBA Cup knockout stage occurs next week. Los Angeles will again travel to Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves on Friday, Dec. 13, and host the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday, Dec. 15.

The Lakers have added two games after tonight’s NBA Cup group results:
— Friday, Dec. 13 at MIN (5 p.m. PT)
— Sunday, Dec. 15 vs. MEM (6:30 p.m. PT)

— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) December 4, 2024

It makes sense, given that the Wolves and Grizzlies were two of the six teams the Lakers were scheduled to play three times.

The Lakers were not the same team we witnessed last year during the NBA Cup games. L.A. was locked in and focused, recording a 4-0 record in group play to advance to the knockout round and ultimately winning it all in dominant fashion.

The Lakers exerted all of their energy, and we saw how that hurt them toward the end of December and early January. That poor play dug them in a hole, and it was too little, too late to come out of it.

The hope is that it is different this year.

The Lakers have already faced the Timberwolves and Grizzlies twice this season. They hold a 1-1 record against both teams thus far. These upcoming games will be the rubber match against both squads.

The Lakers won the first meeting against the Timberwolves on opening night in L.A. on Oct. 22. The Lakers looked fresh and renewed, winning that contest by the score of 110-103. Their latest contest against the Timberwolves was the polar opposite as they were handed their worst loss of the season, 109-80.

Their games against the Grizzlies were similar to the ones against Minnesota. They dropped their first game against Memphis, losing by 17 points. Their second game against the Grizzlies was a closer contest. L.A. came out victorious thanks to a strong performance by LeBron James.

As for Wednesday, the Lakers sit with a 12-9 record and have lost five of their last seven games. L.A. is an inconsistent bunch on offense and a subpar defensive team.

Although that is not what L.A. had hoped for at this point in the season, there is still much time to turn things around, whether internally or via the trade market.

The Lakers will have some time off from Dec. 9 to Dec. 12 following their contest on Dec. 8 against the Portland Trail Blazers.

A little rest may be what the Lakers need to get back on track.

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