Oklahoma City @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 2, 2019 ) L.A. Lakers 103, Oklahoma City 119

The Los Angeles Lakers look to continue their strong start when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday in the first of a home-and-home between the teams. The Lakers, who visit Oklahoma City on Friday, have won four straight games and 11 of 12 after rolling to a 122-101 home victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.

Los Angeles has won by more than 20 points twice during the four-game winning streak and has tallied 120 or more points in three of the contests. Star power forward Anthony Davis continues to battle through a sore shoulder and he contributed 14 points, five assists and five blocked shots but collected only one rebound in the win over the Hawks. Oklahoma City dropped to 0-5 on the road when it suffered a 90-88 loss to the Clippers on Monday in the front end of a back-to-back in Los Angeles. It marked the second time in the past three games that the Thunder scored fewer than 90 points and the third time this season.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, NBATV, FS Oklahoma, Spectrum SportsNet (Los Angeles)

ABOUT THE THUNDER (5-8): Oklahoma City shot 37.3 percent from the field against the Clippers with forward Danilo Gallinari (3-of-13) and Dennis Schroder (6-of-17) experiencing the worst struggles. Point guard Chris Paul scored 22 points - he was 10-of-11 from the free-throw line - and is averaging 24.5 points over the last two contests. Second-year guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has eight 20-point efforts this season but tallied 11 against Los Angeles - his former team - to equal a season low.

ABOUT THE LAKERS (11-2): Forward LeBron James was superb against Atlanta by making a season-high six 3-pointers during an outing in which he had 33 points, 12 assists and zero turnovers. "He's been at just an extraordinarily high level and dominating," Los Angeles coach Frank Vogel told reporters of James. "His effort on the defensive end has really spread throughout the group and the group has really bought into being dominant on the defensive end of the floor. Offensively, the shot making, his decision making, zero turnovers, 12 assists, I mean are you kidding me?" James has recorded 10 or more assists on 10 occasions this season and also has reached the 30-point mark four times.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Thunder went 2-1 against the Lakers last season.

2. Oklahoma City G Hamidou Diallo (knee) will likely miss his third straight contest.

3. Los Angeles SG Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has made 12-of-18 shots while averaging 14.5 points over the past two games.

PREDICTION: Lakers 119, Thunder 108