Lakers Back in L.A. to Host Jazz, With LeBron James Listed as Questionable for Season Debut

After more than a week traveling across the country, the Los Angeles Lakers are finally back home — and the timing couldn’t be better. Fresh off back-to-back wins, the team returns to Crypto Arena on Tuesday night to host the Utah Jazz, aiming to extend momentum and tighten their grip on the top tier of the Western Conference standings.

Game Details

• Location: Crypto Arena (Los Angeles, CA)
• Date: Tuesday, November 18, 2025
• Tipoff: 7:30 PM (local time)
• Broadcast: Prime Video, NBA League Pass

Home at last

The Lakers enter the night looking to improve their early-season performance at home, where they have gone 3–2 so far. While Utah currently sits below .500 and continues to search for consistency, the Jazz remain a team with enough scoring punch to create problems — especially with Lauri Markkanen, whose shooting and size demand disciplined defensive execution.

For Los Angeles, the matchup is a welcome opportunity: a chance to stabilize their record at home, maintain momentum, and potentially climb to third place in the West depending on Houston’s upcoming results.

LeBron James could finally return

The biggest storyline of the night, however, centers on LeBron James.

The 40-year-old superstar has missed the start of the season for the first time in his 23-year career while recovering from a sciatic nerve issue. The Lakers approached his rehab with maximum caution, but optimism has grown steadily over the past week.

James participated fully in Monday’s practice, and the team upgraded his status to questionable — a significant step forward and the clearest sign yet that his debut may come tonight in front of the home crowd.

The Lakers dealt with multiple absences in the opening weeks, but with the roster finally nearing full strength — and James potentially returning — the team’s trajectory is beginning to brighten.

Another name to monitor:

Gabe Vincent remains day-to-day with an ankle sprain suffered during the first week of the season. The team has not announced a firm timeline for his return.

Projected Starting Lineups

Lakers: Marcus Smart, Deandre Ayton, Luka Dončić, Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves

Jazz: Jusuf Nurkić, Lauri Markkanen, Svi Mykhailiuk, Keyonte George, Collin Bailey