Getty Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.
The Los Angeles Lakers will have a chance to knock off some rust before the games start to count in Orlando with three scrimmages.
All 22 teams participating teams will play three scrimmages from July 22-28 before the restart officially tips off on July 30 with the eight seeding games.
The Lakers will face the Mavericks (40-27), Magic (30-35) and Wizards (24-40), teams they are unlikely to face in the playoffs. Orlando and Washington are battling for the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference, while the Dallas has its sights set on bettering their No. 7 seed in the seeding games.
Barring a disaster, the Mavericks won’t fall into the No. 8 seed — which would mean a first-round matchup with the Lakers. The final playoff spot in the Western Conference is being contested for by the Grizzlies (32-33), Pelicans (28-36), Kings (28-36), Trail Blazers (29-37), Spurs (27-36) and Suns (26-39).
The Lakers went 3-1 against Dallas in the regular season and 2-1 combined against Washington and Orlando. There is currently no plan announced to air the games.
NBA Releases Full Schedule for Scrimmages
GettyLos Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.
Here is the full schedule for tune-up scrimmages, with the Lakers games in bold. All times are ET:
Wednesday, July 22
Orlando Magic vs. LA Clippers (3 p.m.)
Washington Wizards vs. Denver Nuggets (3:30 p.m.)
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Brooklyn Nets (7 p.m.)
Sacramento Kings vs. Miami Heat (8 p.m.)
Thursday, July 23
San Antonio Spurs vs. Milwaukee Bucks (3 p.m.)
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Indiana Pacers (3:30 p.m.)
Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Lakers (7 p.m.)
Phoenix Suns vs. Utah Jazz (8 p.m.)
Friday, July 24
Memphis Grizzlies vs. Philadelphia 76ers (3:30 p.m.)
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Boston Celtics (5 p.m.)
Houston Rockets vs. Toronto Raptors (7:30 p.m.)
Saturday, July 25
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Orlando Magic (12 p.m.)
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Sacramento Kings (12:30 p.m.)
Miami Heat vs. Utah Jazz (4 p.m.)
Brooklyn Nets vs. San Antonio Spurs (4:30 p.m.)
LA Clippers vs. Washington Wizards (8 p.m.)
Denver Nuggets vs. New Orleans Pelicans (8:30 p.m.)
Sunday, July 26
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (12 p.m.)
Phoenix Suns vs. Boston Celtics (1:30 p.m.)
Indiana Pacers vs. Dallas Mavericks (4 p.m.)
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Toronto Raptors (6 p.m.)
Houston Rockets vs. Memphis Grizzlies (8 p.m.)
Monday, July 27
Washington Wizards vs. Los Angeles Lakers (3 p.m.)
Sacramento Kings vs. LA Clippers (4 p.m.)
Utah Jazz vs. Brooklyn Nets (5:30 p.m.)
Orlando Magic vs. Denver Nuggets (7 p.m.)
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Milwaukee Bucks (8 p.m.)
Tuesdays, July 28
Memphis Grizzlies vs. Miami Heat (2 p.m.)
Toronto Raptors vs. Phoenix Suns (3 p.m.)
San Antonio Spurs vs. Indiana Pacers (4 p.m.)
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Portland Trail Blazers (6 p.m.)
Boston Celtics vs. Houston Rockets (8 p.m.)
Dallas Mavericks vs. Philadelphia 76ers (8:30 p.m.)
Lakers Looking to Use Full Bench Before Playoffs
GettyKyle Kuzma of the Los Angeles Lakers and Frank Vogel.
There are many unknowns heading into the restarted NBA season, but one of the biggest is if players will be in shape for the games. Workouts were limited, at best, during the coronavirus lockdown and it may take some time for the players to be clicking at an elite level.
“Conditioning will be a great unknown,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said, per ESPN. “Players are [typically] playing pickup four or five days a week a month before they get to training camp. But that’s not been the case. It’s been all individual workouts. What will their bodies be ready for, not having really played?”
Vogel has been clear that he’s planning on using the seeding games and scrimmages to get his game plan refined, now having to make up for the absence of Avery Bradley and the additions of both J.R. Smith and Dion Waiters to the rotation.
“I would think that we’re gonna use everyone. Obviously we’re taking it on a game-by-game basis,” Vogel said on a Friday Zoom call with reporters (h/t Silver Screen & Roll). “The goal of these seeding games is to get us going into the playoffs, and just like it would be in the normal last eight games of a regular season, to get us going to the playoffs as healthy and as sharp as we can be.”
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Lakers Scrimmage Schedule for NBA Restart Released