Everyone expected the Cavaliers to struggle coming into the season with so much reliance on extremely young players, but their struggles have been exacerbated by injuries to their two best scorers, Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters.
Meanwhile, the Lakers were looking to be one of the best teams in the Western Conference under the guise of four superstars. Yet here they sit three games below .500.
Normally this would be just another game, but with so much on the line now in every game for the Lakers, it's easy to see this game getting more attention than usual.
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
TV: NBA League Pass
Records: Los Angeles (9-12), Cleveland (4-17)
Betting Lines: Not available as of December 10th
Injuries: Lakers: Steve Nash (fractured fibula, out), Pau Gasol (knee tedinitis, out), Steve Blake (abdominal surgery, out). Cavaliers: Dion Waiters (sprained ankle, questionable), Kyrie Irving (broken finger, active)
Key Storyline: Health
The Lakers and Cavaliers have dealt with more than their fair share of health issues early on in the season and the standings obviously reflect that.
It's too early to jump to conclusions about the Lakers (although we're getting close) until both Steve Nash and Pau Gasol are in the lineup together, but that's not going to happen with either Nash or Gasol for this one.
On the other side of things, Cleveland has been missing Kyrie Irving for the better part of a month with a broken finger and Dion Waiters for a handful of games with a sprained ankle.
Word is, however, that while Waiters' return is still in question, Irving will be in the lineup on Tuesday night against the Lakers. This definitely makes this one worth watching.
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Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
