Lakers Brace for Grueling Eight-Game Road Trip After Home Win Over Raptors
The Lakers wrapped up their latest homestand with a convincing 110-93 win over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday, but any sense of comfort will be short-lived. With the Grammy Awards taking over Crypto.com Arena, the team is heading out on its longest road trip of the season-eight games over the next two weeks, with their next home game not until February 5.
It’s the kind of stretch that tests a team’s depth, stamina, and focus. And as Luka Doncic made clear postgame, there’s no room for excuses.
“We get paid to do this,” Doncic said. “It’s not gonna be an excuse. It’s gonna be a lot of traveling, but we get paid to do this, and I love it.”
That mindset is going to be critical, because while the Lakers won’t face a back-to-back during the trip, they’ve got just one day off between each game-no extended breathers, no time to settle in. And the competition?
It’s a mixed bag, but far from a walk in the park. Three of the nine games are against teams currently over .500: the defending champion Denver Nuggets, a surging Cleveland Cavaliers squad, and the always-tough New York Knicks.
Add in a matchup with the red-hot LA Clippers-winners of 12 of their last 15-and it’s clear this road trip isn’t just long, it’s loaded.
The Lakers hit the halfway mark of the season at 41 games played, and their record tells a story of balance. They’re 13-8 on the road, 12-8 at home. That’s a solid foundation, but this trip could be a turning point-either a launchpad toward playoff positioning or a stretch that exposes cracks.
Head coach JJ Redick isn’t looking for sympathy, but he’s also not ignoring the impact of the NBA’s evolving calendar. The league’s new in-season tournament, the NBA Cup, has added a wrinkle to the schedule that’s left teams like the Lakers navigating an uneven rhythm.
“I’m not blaming anything,” Redick said. “But this in-season tournament cup, with this break, has just created a very imbalanced cadence of games.
Outside of All-Star break, I think our next two-day break between games is the end of March or something like that. So you kind of have no choice but to prioritize the rest and recovery.”
That recovery effort got a boost Sunday with the return of three key players-Doncic, Deandre Ayton, and Jaxson Hayes-all back in the lineup after dealing with various injuries. Their presence gave Redick the flexibility to stretch his rotation and manage minutes more effectively.
But Doncic, in particular, remains a player to watch. He’s still managing a lingering issue, and while he suited up against Toronto, he admitted he’s not 100%.
“It’s okay, not bad,” Doncic said of his condition. “Obviously I’ll try to play through it.”
Doncic playing through pain is nothing new-he’s a gamer, and his leadership is as much about grit as it is about skill. But with the schedule tightening and the stakes rising, the Lakers will need to be smart about how they manage his minutes and workload.
This road trip won’t define the Lakers’ season, but it will reveal a lot. Can they stay healthy?
Can they find consistency away from home? And can they build the kind of cohesion that separates playoff teams from contenders?
By the time they return to Los Angeles in early February, we’ll have a much clearer picture.
For now, it’s wheels up-and the grind begins.