Kyrie Irving is the league’s second-leading scorer (29.5 ppg) since the All-Star break.
Lakers (32-20) at Nets (36-16)
8:30 p.m. ET, ABC
• The Nets won the first meeting of the season with the Lakers, 109-98 on Feb. 18, behind James Harden’s 23 points and 11 assists, Joe Harris’ 21 points and 6-for-7 shooting on 3-pointers, and 16 points from Kyrie Irving. The Nets will be without Harden (hamstring), but will have Kevin Durant in the lineup, who missed the first meeting, as did L.A.’s Anthony Davis, who will be out for this game as well as LeBron James (ankle). Durant had 17 points on 5-for-5 shooting in 19 minutes off the bench in his first game in nearly two months on Thursday as the Nets beat the Pelicans.
• This is a meeting of the team with the top-ranked offense (Brooklyn at 117.5) against the team with the top-ranked defense (Los Angeles at 105.6 allowed). The Lakers have been able to maintain their staunch defense even with James and Davis sidelined (104.3, 2nd); however, their offense has fallen dramatically without the two All-Stars (101.1, 30th).
• The Nets rank second in the league in 3-point shooting (39.3%) as a team. They are led by Harris, who ranks third in the league in 3-point accuracy (48.4%) and sixth in total 3-pointers made (166) so far this season. The Nets are 13-3 this season when Harris makes more than three 3-pointers, which he did in the first meeting with the Lakers.
• Irving (29.5 ppg) ranks second in the league in scoring since the All-Star break, trailing Stephen Curry by 0.4 ppg. Kyrie is shooting 52.0% from the field, 36.8% from 3-point range and 95% at the free throw line over 11 games in which the Nets have gone 9-2.
• The Nets have outscored their opponents by 132 points in the 476 minutes that Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant have shared the court this season, with a net efficiency rating of plus-12.1. Since losing LeBron on March 20, the Lakers have been led by the trio of Montrezl Harrell (16.3 ppg), Dennis Schroder (16.2 ppg) and Kyle Kuzma (14.7 ppg). In 207 minutes with the trio of Harrell, Schroder and Kuzma on court, while LeBron and Davis are off court, the Lakers have a 107.4 offensive rating and 100.7 defensive rating and have outscored opponents by a total of 37 points.
