Philadelphia 76ers vs LA Lakers Starting Lineups and Depth Chart for March 22 | 2023-24 NBA Season

The Philadelphia 76ers visit the LA Lakers on Friday at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, with tipoff at 10:30 p.m. ET. This marks the second and final matchup of their season series with the 76ers winning the first in a 138-94 blowout on Nov. 27.

All-Star center and reigning MVP Joel Embiid is anticipated to make his return by the end of the month or potentially in early April. Philadelphia is banking on maintaining their playoff position until his comeback. Embiid has been sidelined for 23 games due to a surgically repaired left knee.

In his absence, the Sixers' performance has been inconsistent, recently losing six of their last nine games. However, they did manage to secure two consecutive wins at home against Charlotte and Miami before succumbing to a 115-102 defeat at the hands of Phoenix on Wednesday.

The Lakers bounced back from a two-game losing streak with a commanding 138-105 victory over Atlanta on Monday. However, Los Angeles has struggled to maintain momentum, often faltering just when it seems they are poised for a winning streak.

While injuries to role players have plagued the team, stars Anthony Davis and LeBron James have largely remained healthy throughout the season. Though load management may not be an option for them, James is listed as questionable for Friday's game due to an ankle injury. Despite battling through lingering injuries, he has managed to appear in 60 out of 69 games this season.

Philadelphia 76ers vs. LA Lakers injury report

Philadelphia 76ers injury report for March 22

The 76ers have listed five players on their injury report: Tobias Harris (ankle) is available, while Kai Jones (hamstring), Joel Embiid (knee), Robert Covington (knee) and De'Anthony Melton (back) are out.

LA Lakers injury report for March 22

The Lakers have listed eight players on their injury report: LeBron James (ankle) is available; Anthony Davis (Achilles) is available; Cam Reddish (ankle) is available; Gabe Vincent (knee), Jarred Vanderbilt (foot), Christian Wood (knee), Jalen Hood-Schifino (back) and Colin Castleton (wrist) are out.

Philadelphia 76ers vs. LA Lakers starting lineups and depth chart

Philadelphia 76ers starting lineup and depth chart for March 22

LA Lakers starting lineup and depth chart for March 22

Philadelphia 76ers vs. LA Lakers key matchups

An anticipated highlight of the game will be the matchup between traditional point guards, Kyle Lowry and D'Angelo Russell. Both players share a common trait in their eagerness to engage their teammates and utilize the pick-and-roll to generate offense while exploiting potential mismatches.

Another intriguing matchup to watch will be Mo Bamba tasked with guarding Anthony Davis, and vice versa. With both players boasting wingspans exceeding 7 feet 6 inches, their defensive abilities will be showcased as they navigate switches and contribute as help defenders.