The new versions of the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers are set to face off for the first time in a tantalizing matchup at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday night.
This will be the last of four regular season meetings between the pacific rivals, but the first with Jimmy Butler and Luka Doncic on their respective teams in what shapes as another crucial game for playoff seedings.
Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga is questionable to face the Lakers
Both teams are set to have near-full rotations on Thursday, yet there's still a question mark on Jonathan Kuminga from a Warrior perspective after the talented forward left during the second-quarter of Sunday's win over the San Antonio Spurs.
A hard fall driving to the rim was initially announced as a re-aggravation of Kuminga's previous ankle injury, but that was changed to a pelvic contusion afterwards as the 22-year-old missed Tuesday's win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
Golden State have posted 148 points and 134 points over the last two games without Kuminga's output, leading to a suggestion that the team is better without the youngster in a concerning narrative so close to the playoffs.
However, given the superstardom of LeBron James and Luka Doncic, the Warriors may need all the size they can get to try and matchup defensively with two of the best 6'7" to 6'9" players the league has to offer.
Golden State have listed Kuminga as questionable to face the Lakers, bearing in mind that superstar guard Stephen Curry recently missed two games due to the same injury. Head coach Steve Kerr suggested it may have actually been a good thing for Curry after the 2x MVP exploded for 12 threes and 52 points against the Grizzlies.
Veteran guard Gary Payton II will remain out for the Warriors due to a torn ligament in his thumb, while the Lakers have listed James as probable with a left groin strain.
Los Angeles won all three meetings between the two teams earlier in the season, yet they all came during a December to early February period where Golden State were one of the worst teams in the Western Conference.
They'll be hoping to continue the momentum following the trade deadline, with the Warriors now 18-2 in games Curry and Butler are both active in. A win for Golden State would suddenly inch them stunningly into a position where they could vie for a top four seed and home-court advantage in the first-round of the playoffs, but equally a loss may push them back down to the Play-In Tournament and without destiny in their own hands.