The Los Angeles Lakers were severely short-handed on Friday when the Boston Celtics blew them out, 126-105. They were without Luka Doncic, who missed a second straight game while being in Slovenia to welcome the birth of his second child, LeBron James, who sat out due to sciatica and a left foot ailment and guard Marcus Smart, who has a back ailment.
While Smart will not play yet again when the Lakers face the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, the team may have both of its superstars back in action. Doncic will be available to play, and James is listed as questionable.
The Sixers, despite the fact that star center Joel Embiid has been in and out of the lineup and isn’t playing up to his standards, are a solid 13-9, which puts them in seventh place in the Eastern Conference. With the way young guards Tyrese Maxey, Quentin Grimes and VJ Edgecombe have been playing, they will be a challenge for Los Angeles.