On Oct. 22, which is opening night for the entire league, the Lakers will host the Minnesota Timberwolves, a young team that is quickly on the rise. The Timberwolves reached the Western Conference Finals a few months ago, and with studs such as Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns, Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid, they could improve a bit on this past season’s 56-26 finish.
Los Angeles will then host Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Bradley Beal and the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 25. While it won its 2023-24 season series against the Suns three games to two, all three wins came in very competitive and tough games, and in its first two wins, it had to overcome double-digit second-half deficits.
The very next night, it will face the Sacramento Kings, a team that swept it this past regular season, at home. The Kings missed the playoffs by losing in the play-in tournament this past April, but they now have six-time All-Star wing DeMar DeRozan and could end up taking a major step forward.
Right afterward, the Purple and Gold will take off for a five-game Eastern road trip. It will start on Oct. 28 with a matchup versus Phoenix and include contests against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Toronto Raptors, Detroit Pistons and Memphis Grizzlies. Once they return home, they will host the Philadelphia 76ers, who now have perennial All-Star forward Paul George.
It is almost reminiscent of the tough stretch they had to start the 2022-23 season when they won just two of their first 10 games.
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