After a six-game winning streak, the Los Angeles Lakers have hit a slump, losing four of their last five games. Starting their four-game road trip, they’ll face the Utah Jazz tonight—a chance to bounce back and right the ship. Honestly, if you’re a Lakers fan, you’ve probably been waiting for them to shake off this losing streak. Let’s hope they can find their groove again.

The Lakers might be favored to win this game, but they’ll have to manage without D’Angelo Russell and Cam Reddish. The illness that D’Lo is dealing with has ruled him out, despite being initially listed as doubtful. Whatever he’s dealing with seems serious enough to keep him off the floor. Reddish is also sidelined, as he battles an illness. Missing both players might complicate things for the Lakers, but hey, it’s all about adapting.

The LA side has ruled out Austin Reaves, who was initially questionable because of a left pelvic contusion after a tough fall against the OKC Thunder. He briefly exited Friday’s game following the incident and, despite his resilience and dislike for sitting out, won’t be available this time. The left pelvis injury proved serious enough to sideline him, showing even the toughest need recovery time.

With Austin Reaves, D’Angelo Russell, and Cam Reddish out, the Lakers are counting on Dalton Knecht to keep the offense afloat, with Gabe Vincent starting at point guard and Jalen Hood-Schifino chipping in off the bench.

Dalton Knecht has been on fire lately, leading the team in scoring for two straight games, including a jaw-dropping 37-point performance against the Jazz, a few days ago, where he even went on a personal 17-point tear! But here’s the thing: Utah won’t fall for the same trick twice, so if the Lakers want to snag this win, LeBron and Davis need to take control in a big way.

Could this be LeBron James’ last season for the Lakers?

LeBron James, now in his 22nd season, may finally be showing the effects of aging on his game. At 39, he’s the oldest active player in the NBA, and while he got off to a solid start in 2024-25, it’s clear he’s no longer the main offensive engine for the Lakers. That role now belongs to Anthony Davis, who’s become the focal point under head coach JJ Redick.

Bron has been struggling lately. Over the last four games, in which the Lakers have gone 1-3 and suffered two blowouts, LeBron has averaged just 16 points, along with 8 assists, 8 rebounds, and 1 steal. His shooting splits have been far from impressive: 42.2% for field goals, 17.6% from deep, and perfect from the free-throw line. In his latest outing, a 101-93 loss to the Thunder in the NBA Cup, he scored only 11 points, going 5-of-13 from the floor and missing all four of his three-pointers.

“It’s looking like this just might be Bron’s last season.” — Kendrick Perkins posted on X.

Despite these recent struggles, LeBron James is still putting up solid averages overall: 22.3 points, 9.1 assists, and 8.2 rebounds per game. The Lakers are sitting at 11-8, just two games ahead of the Timberwolves in a competitive Western Conference. With very little margin for error, any extended slippage from The Chosen One could mean trouble for Los Angeles’ playoff hopes.