Los Angeles Clippers & Los Angeles Lakers

Spread: Lakers -2

Total: 222

 

Injuries:

Los Angeles Clippers:

Los Angeles Lakers:

*Please note that players not listed below are not necessarily a complete fade and any player listed can certainly be used as the MVP/Captain. These are merely suggestions for players to use when setting Showdown lineups.*

 

MVP/CPT

 

 

 

Sometimes, the obvious answer is the best and that is the case tonight with LeBron James. Seeing him listed on the injury report isn’t a surprise these days, but the fact that he did take part in this morning’s shoot-around is a good sign. James entered the All-Star break on a high note, and that should continue as he hasn’t scored less than 26 points in his last five games. I would also expect that the extended break (although he was in Cleveland) served James well. 

 

 

 

We have to provide other options tonight, and someone has to lead the Clippers in shots. As they deal with a multitude of injuries, Reggie Jackson has stepped up for Los Angeles. He continually finishes with double-digit shot attempts, and going against Russell Westbrook also works in Jackson’s favor from a match-up perspective. In his last three games, Jackson is averaging 15 points and 10.3 assists per game and the usage level shouldn’t change. 

 

Util

 

 

 

Let’s hope that the All-Star break did right by Russell Westbrook as he looks to forget how his Lakers’ career began. There is a slack to be picked up with the injury to Anthony Davis, and Westbrook is in the best situation to do so – but we simply haven’t seen enough this season to expect it to take place. Before this year, though, the skill-set certainly was there and you aren’t going to find many options tonight with a higher ceiling if everything goes their way. 

 

 

 

Malik Monk did cool down a little before the All-Star break, with just 32 points in his last three games combined. But he'll, once again, be a large part of the Lakers’ offense tonight and the shot attempts should be there. We know that Monk can flirt with 30 points on a nightly basis if everything goes right, but even 20 points is a reasonable expectation here while mixing in a few rebounds. 

 

 

 

Between Jackson and Marcus Morris, you could make the argument they are 1A and 1B in the pecking order of Clippers’ offensive threats. At this point, there is no denying the fact that Morris is going to take between 13 and 18 shots from the field – but some games are more efficient than others from a shooting perspective. Overall, though, Morris has broken the 20-point mark in six of his last eight games – so I would operate based on that assumption. 

 

 

 

If the shot is falling – and Terance Mann will certainly get a chance to see if that is the case – a 20-point night is a reasonable expectation as the Clippers will give him all of the shots he can handle. That is the case for a lot of players, but Mann has proven to be a little more volatile than others this season – although opportunity certainly works in his favor. 

 

 

 

Carmelo Anthony is primed to return from, at this point, close to a three-week absence with a hamstring injury. If anyone is going to pick up the scoring slack for Davis, it would be Anthony – who hasn’t lost the ability to produce offensively off the bench. 

 

 

 

We do have to worry about Nicolas Batum's consistency on the offensive end at times, but he does have the ability to put up 18 points as he did a few games ago. If not, there is still a solid floor as Batum will play around 25 minutes tonight while being active on the boards and picking up a few assists. 

 

 

 

Ivica Zubac hit the 30 DK point mark in three of his last four games before the All-Star break (one game had 29). Things have trended in the right direction for him after the trade of Serge Ibaka. Three of those games resulted in double-doubles for Zubac, and he’s a solid option for another tonight. 

 

Dart Throws

 

 

 

The fact that Stanley Johnson continues to start for the Lakers almost taunts us. After recent success, Johnson scored a combined eight points to go along with five assists and three rebounds in 35 minutes of action in his last two games – so buyer beware here. 

 

 

 

Despite the fact that he comes off the bench, it’s hard not to like Luke Kennard tonight as he comes off a 25-point performance prior to the All-Star break. At the same time, though, he is a one-dimensional option who needs his shot to fall. 

 

 

 

With no Anthony Davis, this is a spot for Trevor Ariza to get some run tonight. The problem, though, is that he has been inconsistent with his production when given the chance.