The Los Angeles Lakers received a rude awakening on Monday when they fell short against the Oklahoma City Thunder at home, which also meant that their winning run came to a halt. However, they will look to bounce back instantly as they are all set to host the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday, February 10, at the Crypto.com Arena. Lakers veteran LeBron James clearly highlighted the difference between them and the reigning champions in the previous game. So there will be an expectation that they don’t repeat the same mistake against the second-seeded team from the West.

Overall, the Lakers are the fifth seed in the Western Conference with a 32-19 record. Even though they started the season as proper contenders, they have tapered off as the season went on. The Lakers have relied on their star players – Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and LeBron James. However, there are doubts over Doncic’s participation even in this game. On the other hand, the Spurs are the second seed in the West (36-16) and are heading to Los Angeles on the back of a four-game winning streak.

Are LeBron James and Luka Doncic playing tonight? Latest injury report on Lakers

The biggest news around the Lakers’ injury list is their talisman, Luka Doncic, missing yet another game due to a hamstring concern. The 26-year-old, who was enjoying an MVP-level campaign before this, has been stopped in his tracks. He suffered the injury against the Philadelphia 76ers last Thursday. He missed the last two games and is also out for this one.

Doncic, who became the Player of the month (January) for the Western Conference, is averaging 32.8 points, 8.6 assists, and 7.8 rebounds per game while shooting 47.3% from the field and 34.5% from beyond the arc. He put up 34.0PPG and 9.1APG in January, helping the Lakers secure a reasonable 9-7 record last month.

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Coming to LeBron James, the Lakers veteran will look to marshal the team against the Spurs after falling short against the Thunder in the previous game. He has had his bouts with injuries and sciatica issues, but right now, he is healthy and ready to lead the team off the blocks. LeBron finished with a double-double with 22 points and 10 assists against the Thunder and will look to continue that momentum against the Spurs. He now has nine double-doubles this season.

Overall, in his 23rd season in the NBA, the Akron Hammer has not been as dominant as he once was, and that’s understandable. He is still putting up 21.8 points, 6.9 assists, and 5.8 rebounds per contest while shooting 50.2% from the field.

Other than Doncic, the only other player that the Lakers are missing is their rookie forward Adou Thiero, who is nearing full fitness as he recently got assigned to the South Bay Lakers. He was out with a sprained MCL and will get more game time in the G-League for the time being.

Are Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle playing tonight? Latest injury report on Spurs

Victor Wembanyama has been the Spurs’ cornerstone, and their entire offense is built around him. However, it is not that they are entirely dependent on the French Phenom, but with him in the ranks, the Spurs are a different force altogether. In his second year in the NBA, Wemby has already become one of the biggest names in the league.

Wembanyama posted 16 points, 11 rebounds, one assist, and three blocks in the Spurs’ 138-125 win over the Mavericks on Saturday. This was his 18th three-plus blocks game this season and 24th double-double, highlighting his dominance on both ends of the court. Overall, he is averaging 23.9 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks per contest with 50.7% shooting from the field.

His partner in crime, Stephon Castle, is in red-hot form as the young guard is coming off a 40-point triple-double against the Mavs. He recorded 40 points, 12 rebounds, 12 assists, one block, and three steals from 32 minutes on the previous night at a whopping 72.8% shooting from the field.

Castle has been sensational for the Spurs this season, acting as their primary ball-handler and leader, especially during the stretch when Wembanyama was out injured. He is averaging 17.1 points, 7.0 assists, and 5.2 rebounds at 46.7% shooting from the field. The former Rookie of the Year has fared well against the Lakers, putting up 20.3 points, 6.0 assists, and 6.7 rebounds across two games.

Overall, the Spurs will miss the services of forward Lindy Waters III, who is out with a knee concern, while David Jones Garcia is out for the season with an ankle injury.

Luka Doncic and LeBron James stats vs Spurs: A look at their past performances

LeBron James relishes the opportunity to play against the Spurs. He has a fascinating record against San Antonio, and on Tuesday, he will have to be at his best to add to his tally. The 41-year-old has played 47 games against the Spurs in his illustrious NBA career, in which he has averaged 26.9 points, 7.9 assists, and 7.8 rebounds per contest. The last time he faced them was in the NBA Cup quarterfinals, which they lost, but not before he recorded a double-double of 19 points, 15 rebounds, and eight assists.

Coming to Luka Doncic, he dropped a 35-point bomb in the quarterfinal against the Spurs, and overall, the star guard has averaged 29.2 points, 9.6 assists, and 8.7 rebounds per contest across 26 games against them. Therefore, highlighting his importance in this Lakers roster and especially against Tuesday’s opponents.

Spurs vs Lakers preview and what to expect

The Spurs have won six out of their last eight games, with four consecutive wins before hitting the road to Los Angeles. Mitch Johnson’s team are similar to the Thunder as they bring a lot of intensity to the court and have some exceptional young talents in their roster who could turn games single-handedly. While Wembanyama gets a lot of focus, the likes of De’Aaron Fox, Castle, Harrison Barnes, Devin Vassell, etc., have been great for them as they keep the basics right.

So the biggest challenge for the Lakers will be matching their energy for long stretches of the game. With Doncic’s absence, the Spurs have a clear advantage over the Lakers. But Austin Reaves has returned from injury and will come off the bench, and though he is on a minutes restriction, he could play a role for the hosts along with LeBron James, who will have to shoulder the responsibility of leading the team. Overall, in the last five games, the Spurs are slightly ahead with a 3-2 record.

Spurs vs Lakers predicted starting lineup

The Lakers will look to rely on LeBron James’ leadership, along with Austin Reaves’ scoring impact off the bench. They are missing their biggest offensive weapon for this game, so they need to compensate for that in defense, something that they have struggled with all season. Meanwhile, the Spurs will look to continue with more of the same that they did against the Mavs. The backcourt of Fox and Castle is working like a charm, with Wemby making an impact on both ends of the court. If the Spurs stick to their basics, they should see this through.