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The last time LA Lakers superstar LeBron James visited his hometown, he was greeted with deafening cheers while sitting courtside for the Boston Celtics vs Cleveland Cavaliers playoff skirmish. The LA Lakers had hit an early summer and the 4x NBA champion was one of the prime names in attendance along with wife Savannah and agent Rich Paul.
The familiar narrative and rumor mill of the potential reunion with his former team continued for days after. In the end, James, who entered the summer as a free agent, re-signed with the LA Lakers.
Now, he will be the cynosure of all eyes along with his son Bronny James — now a Laker, when the Purple and Gold play the red-hot Cavaliers in the second of their five-game road trip at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Wednesday (Oct. 30).
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The Lakers come off a close loss to the Phoenix Suns ending their dream 3-0 start. Between JJ Redick fuming, James' uncharacteristic shooting night, and some sloppy offense, the stinging LA unit will look to make amends against a stern Cleveland side that's one of the three unbeaten sides in the season so far.
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The Cavaliers are coming off a 110-104 win over the New York Knicks at the Madison Square Garden. Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell's 34 and 25-point bursts saw them get past the new-look Knicks' threat. On paper, they are one of the more unique teams fielding a two-big combo of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen and an explosive backcourt to boot. This will be a challenge for LA who will now have to rely on their key stars to continue their scoring prowess.
The two teams met twice last season with the Lakers sweeping the series 2-0. Head-to-head, the Lakers lead Cleveland 70-53 in 123 regular season matchups.
LA Lakers vs Cleveland Cavaliers preview, predicted starting lineups, betting tips, odds, and prediction
The LA Lakers and the Cleveland Cavaliers skirmish tips off at 7 pm ET. Local coverage will be on Spectrum SportsNet. The game can be streamed live on the NBA App with a subscription to the NBA League Pass.
Here's a quick look at the odds as listed ahead of the marquee clash
Note: Odds are subject to change closer to tip-off.
LA Lakers vs Cleveland Cavaliers preview
The Cavaliers propped up wins against rebuilding teams — Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards, and for that matter the Knicks who are still looking for that synergy after the blockbuster Karl-Anthony Towns trade. But wins are wins, and now they take on a team whose former superstar holds a 9-2 record against the team. Cleveland will look to continue their unbeaten run and their well-oiled offense which at the time of writing averages the third most points in the league will provide a familiar challenge to LA.
The Lakers were expected to outshoot the Suns, which to their credit, they did. But they also gave up a strong lead and followed it up with a dismal shooting quarter that cost them a game. This matchup will again be a test of how their role players fare and contribute against a side that fields two-bigs who are deployed with the sole purpose of forcing contested shots in the paint and the perimeter.
The focus lies more so on the Lakers because of the early chinks in their armor. Their turnovers have been an issue, as is their transition defense. Then comes the bench where Gabe Vincent, Dalton Knecht, and Max Christie will need to drain more buckets and out beat the Cavs in the non-James, Anthony Davis minutes.
Will it be a bounce-back game for LA? Or will the Cavs continue their dominance and go 5-0?
LA Lakers vs Cleveland Cavaliers predicted starting lineups
The Lakers may be without D'Angelo Russell (questionable with a low back soreness). If he does sit out, expect Gabe Vincent to take over ball-handling duties.
LA Lakers injuries: Austin Reaves (left thigh contusion) is probable, Russell (lower back soreness) is listed as questionable. Christian Wood (knee), Christian Koloko (illness), and Jarred Vanderbilt (foot) are ruled out of the contest.
The Cavaliers will likely stick to the same lineup that's been working well for them so far this season.
Cleveland Cavaliers injuries: Craig Porter Jr. (thumb), Max Strus (hip), and Emoni Bates (knee) are all sidelined for the midweek matchup.
LA Lakers vs Cleveland Cavaliers betting tips
Per Covers, D'Angelo Russell comes into the contest with a -113/-103 o/u on points. Davis is -120/-125 on points. For the Cavaliers, Darius Garland is worth keeping an eye on as the guard is listed -115/-106 on points. Big man Jarrett Allen is -115/-126 o/u on points and rebounds.
LA Lakers vs Cleveland Cavaliers prediction
The LA Lakers will face an uphill task in beating the Cavaliers' consistent offense. Their defense needs to be watertight, and their offense has to go beyond James and Davis. Expect the Cavs to get ahead of the curve and go 5-0 with a solid win over LA.
Cleveland Cavaliers Nation! You can check out the latest Cleveland Cavaliers Schedule and dive into the Cavaliers Depth Chart for NBA Season 2024-25.
