Los Angeles Lakers at Memphis Grizzlies Preview
The Los Angeles Lakers (4-3) five-game road trip ends today, as they will travel to Memphis to take on Ja Morant and the Grizzlies (4-4). The Lakers are coming off an ugly performance against the Pistons and hope to regain their momentum from the first three weeks.
Clean Up Mistakes on the Road
The Lakers have struggled on the road early in the season. LA is 1-3 on the road, including a loss on Monday to the Detroit Pistons.
Head coach JJ Redick has cited poor starts as an area the Purple and Gold need to improve on.
Heading into this matchup against the Grizzlies led by Ja Morant, the Lakers will need to get off to a quick start.
JJ Redick says he expects both Anthony Davis and Rui Hachimura will be out.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) November 6, 2024
Make up for an injured Anthony Davis
Regardless of whether Anthony Davis plays or not, the Lakers will need their rotation to step up. Davis is averaging 33/12/2 through seven games.
His play on both ends of the floor has made him an early MVP frontrunner. However, the supporting cast has not been much help.
The Lakers bench unit has seen inconsistent minutes as Dalton Knecht has been the only impact player. Cam Reddish stepped up as a defensive stopper in his first action on Monday.
LA will need more bench players to step up to help out with Davis out of the lineup.
Stop Ja Morant
Ja Morant leads the Grizzlies as one of the toughest players in the league to defend. Morant has incredible athleticism and is averaging 20/5/10.
The 25-year-old needs to be contained in this matchup if the Lakers want to win. Having an elite rim protector in Davis helps, but if he’s out, it could be a long day for the Purple and Gold.
