Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors: Start time, TV channel, odds

Lakers vs. Warriors play-in game: Start time, TV channel and odds

Lakers center Markieff Morris shoots over Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green.

May 19, 2021 7 AM PT

The highly anticipated play-in games begin for the Lakers on Wednesday as they prepare to host the Golden State Warriors at 7 p.m. in the first round at Staples Center. Here’s everything you need to know about the game.

Game preview

The defending champion Lakers have a long road to make it back to the NBA Finals. To claim a spot in the playoffs, the Lakers have to go through the player who LeBron James thinks is the MVP of the season, Stephen Curry.

The Lakers are coming back from injuries at the right time, but the question remains: How healthy are they?

The two main catalysts for the Lakers, Anthony Davis and James, hardly have played together in the last month, but they reunited in a May 15 win over the Indiana Pacers.

In the Lakers’ last game of the regular season, against the New Orleans Pelicans, James tweaked his right ankle. But he says he isn’t concerned about the injury.

The Lakers’ starting five is Dennis Schroder, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, James, Davis and Andre Drummond. The Lakers injury report listed Davis as questionable (right shoulder sprain) and James (right ankle sprain) as probable for the game.

The Warriors, meanwhile, have lost Marquese Chriss, Klay Thompson, Eric Paschall, Kelly Oubre Jr., James Wiseman, Kevon Looney and Damion Lee at various times to injuries or COVID-19 safety protocols.

The Warriors played with an eight-man roster against the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday. The starting five consisted of Curry, Draymond Green, Kent Bazemore, Andrew Wiggins and Looney. With no additions to the injury list, that’s the expected lineup for Wednesday.

What channel will Lakers vs. Warriors be on?

The game will be broadcasted by ESPN and ESPN Deportes.

Where can I stream the game?

The play-in game can be streamed through these connected TV, iOS and Android applications:

How can I listen to the game?

Will fans be allowed to attend?

As of April 15, fans have been allowed to return to Staples Center under certain guidelines to protect the players and fans. Currently, the Lakers will allow 11% capacity in their 18,977-seat arena.

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Ethan Sands

Ethan Sands is a former intern in the Sports department at the Los Angeles Times. Originally from Ellicott City, Md., he attended Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, and graduated in the spring of 2021 with honors. Sands worked for the local radio and television station WOUB as a producer and on-air talent and as the multimedia director of the local newspaper, the Post, while at school. He interned with a podcast studio, Podcast Village, which allowed him to work with ESPN Radio, the Undefeated, the Santana Moss Show and more. In 2020, he was one of 16 students selected from across the country into the Sports Journalism Institute.