The Los Angeles Lakers will host to the Phoenix Suns in an NBA In-Season Tournament quarterfinal Tuesday evening at Crypto.com Arena with each player on the winning team guaranteed at least $100,000.
The Lakers earned their spot in the quarterfinals by winning West Group A with a 4-0 record, including a 122-119 victory at Phoenix Nov. 10 to begin tournament play.
The Suns qualified as the Western Conference’s wild-card team, winning their final three group play games and having a better point differential than the other group runner-up to go 3-1, the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The winner will advance to a semifinal Thursday in Las Vegas against the New Orleans Pelicans, a 127-117 winner over the Sacramento Kings in a quarterfinal Monday.
Laker reserve power forward Rui Hachimura is expected to return to action after missing five games because of a nasal fracture.
Hachimura is listed as probable. He was in uniform for the first time since Nov. 22 in Saturday’s 107-97 victory over the Houston Rockets but did not play.
The Lakers are 3-2 during Hachimura’s latest absence. They were 2-2 when he missed four games from Oct. 30 through Nov. 6, the first due a left eye contusion and the next three when he was in the concussion protocol. They are 7-5 when he plays.
LeBron James is listed as questionable due to a left calf contusion for the 12th consecutive game since the injury forced him to miss his lone game of the season Nov. 12. James has started each of the past 11 games.
The Lakers are 9-4 since beginning play in the in-season tournament after starting the season 3-5. Their 12-9 record is seventh-best in the 15-team Western Conference, a half-game behind the fifth-place Suns (12-8).
Phoenix forward Kevin Durant has scored 25 or more points in a franchise-record 17 consecutive games.
This will be the third meeting of the season between the teams. The Lakers defeated the Suns, 100-95, in their home opener Oct. 26.
Each player on the four teams losing in the quarterfinals will receive $50,000. Each player on the two teams losing in the semifinals will receive $100,000. Each player on the team losing in the championship will receive $200,000. Each player on the championship team will receive $500,000.
All games in the tournament count toward a team’s regular-season record except the championship.
Oddsmakers have made the Lakers a 1- to 1 1/2 point favorite. ESPN Analytics gives Phoenix a 58.6% chance of winning.
The 7 p.m. game will be televised by TNT and Spectrum SportsNet.