Thunder at Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers might not know until close to game time whether or not they will have the services of point guard D'Angelo Russell when they host Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday. Russell is listed as questionable due to a sore left knee and didn't participate in Monday's practice.
The Lakers certainly would like to see Russell on the court as they chase around Westbrook and attempt to keep him in check. Russell missed Friday's game with the San Antonio Spurs due to the ailment and then tried to play through the soreness during Sunday's 118-110 loss to the Chicago Bulls but was highly ineffective. Westbrook is hard to handle for fully healthy point guards and is coming off his fifth triple-double of the season. Westbrook had 35 points, 15 assists and 11 rebounds in Sunday's 115-111 loss to the Indiana Pacers and sharply rebuked his own quality of play afterward.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV, FSN Oklahoma, Spectrum SportsNet (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE THUNDER (8-6): Westbrook was a porous 13-of-34 from the field versus the Pacers and was highly disappointed with his showing and the performance of his team. "We just wasn't ready," Westbrook told reporters. "Just wasn't ready, starting with myself. I could have did a lot of things better, man. Got to come out and be ready to play. I felt like I let my guys down all-around. I've got to be better." Westbrook scored 30 or more points in each of the past five games and is averaging 33 points, 12.2 assists and 11.2 rebounds during the stretch.
ABOUT THE LAKERS (7-7): Russell was limited to 23 minutes against the Bulls and had just eight points on 3-of-11 shooting. Veteran point guard Jose Calderon could be called on if Russell can't play despite averaging just 8.8 minutes per game, and combo guard Jordan Clarkson also would figure in at the point. Clarkson tallied just five points on 1-of-12 shooting in the loss to Chicago after scoring 20 or more points in three of the previous six games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Thunder won the past nine meetings, including a 113-96 home win on Oct. 30.
2. Los Angeles reserve SG Lou Williams scored a season-best 25 points against the Bulls and is averaging 24.5 points on 17-of-27 shooting (7-of-10 from 3-point range) over the past two games.
3. Oklahoma City rookie PF Domantas Sabonis is 6-of-19 shooting over the past two games.