South Bay Lakers vs Rip City Remix Preview
The South Bay Lakers and Rip City Remix are gearing up for what should be an exciting matchup on February 2, 2024. Tip-off is at 7:00 pm local time inside Chiles Center in Portland, Oregon. Fans can catch the action on Tubi (US Stream), YouTube (Canada/Mexico only), or KPDX (Portland area).
Both teams are 9-4 through 13 games, having picked up wins in their last matches. But only one will walk away with their 10th win of the season on Friday. Considering how crowded the Western Conference is right now, every win counts from here on out, even though there are still 37 games remaining in the season.
South Bay Lakers vs Rip City Remix Head-To-Head and Key Stats
The South Bay Lakers and Rip City Remix have never played a regular season game against one another. Let’s not forget, this is Rip City’s inaugural season. Of course, that all changes on Friday night when they square up in a heavyweight bout against one of the NBA G League’s most dominant teams. While they haven’t played a regular season game against one another, they do have a history. Between November 10 and 17, the Lakers and Remix played three games as part of the Showcase Cup:
Game 1: On November 10, the Remix defeated the Lakers 133-105 at the UCLA Health Training Center. Duop Reath led the Remix with 37 points, ten rebounds, and two blocks. Quinndary Weatherspoon was the leader for the Lakers, registering 21 points, three rebounds, and three assists.
Game 2: The Remix defeated the Lakers again the following night, this time by four points. The score finished 114 to 110 at the UCLA Health Training Center, with only 668 fans in attendance. Malachi Smith contributed 33 points and nine rebounds for Rip City, while Jack White’s 24 points and 16 rebounds led the way for South Bay.
Game 3: On November 17, the Lakers mounted their revenge with a 114-110 victory over the Remix at Chiles Center in Portland. This time, there were over 1,700 fans at the game. Three players for the Lakers scored at least 20 points. SBL star Scotty Pippen Jr. added 26 points to the board, and Jarrey Foster got 19 points plus seven rebounds for the Rip.
One thing that pops out about these three games is that the away team won all three times. Fast forward to the regular season, and both teams have played their best ball at home. South Bay is 4-1 at home, while Rip City is 5-1. Will the Remix defend their home court on Friday, or will the Lakers claim another victory on the road?
South Bay Lakers vs Rip City Remix Predictions
Both teams are coming into this game hot. South Bay has won four of their last five, while Rip City has won seven of their last eight, but don’t let that fool you. Both teams are also vulnerable, having lost within the past week. It’s a game that could go either way, but who do we predict will win, and by how much?
We have the Rip City Remix defeating the South Bay Lakers 118-111.
There are several reasons we like the Rip in this one. First off, they’re at home. Not only are they 5-1 at home this season, but that loss they suffered to the Lakers in the Showcase Cup on November 17 was Rip City’s first-ever home game, in franchise history! Online sportsbooks suggest they want revenge, and they’ll get it.
The Remix’s core has also impressed us. Antoine Davis, George Conditt IV, and Ashton Hagans have played in all 13 games for the Remix this season, and they show up every single night. Hagans is a gifted passer, Conditt IV is a double-double machine, and Davis hits over four threes per game. They also have a difference maker, D’moi Hodge. He spent the entire Showcase Cup, and four regular season games, with the South Bay Lakers and played seven games for the Los Angeles Lakers (NBA) this year. They traded him to the Remix on January 17, and Friday will be his first game against his old team.
The Lakers will put up a fight, but Rip City has a lot to prove with this being their first year in the league. Plus, they are in a groove right now. Defense in the fourth quarter will be crucial. A steal from Hodge or a block by Conditt will get the Remix going, and a clutch three from Davis might put this one away.
Calm luh double double 😮💨
◽️16 PTS
◽️10 AST
◽️4 REB
◽️2 STL pic.twitter.com/iFnjpZAYv3— Rip City Remix (@ripcityremix) January 31, 2024
South Bay Lakers Team News
The South Bay Lakers lost their first two games of the regular season but they bounced back strongly. SBL won their next five games and were 8-3 before the most recent loss on January 26, a two-point heartbreaker against the Salt Lake City Stars. The good news is they’re coming off an 11-point victory a few days ago. They have one player, Quinndary Weatherspoon, playing in the NBA G League Up Next Game, which takes place during NBA All-Star Weekend. He played in seven of the Lakers’ first nine games but missed the next three. He returned on January 29 and had 19 points, three rebounds, five assists, four steals, and two blocks.
South Bay currently has four players on the Los Angeles Lakers roster, Jalen Hood-Schifino, Skylar Mays, Maxwell Lewis, and Dylan Windler. They play without them often, but they account for 61.0 points per game when in a South Bay jersey. That production will have to come elsewhere on Friday night. Louis King played hero with a team-high 22 points on January 29, but he had just 10 points in their previous two games. Weatherspoon is due for a big performance, especially now that he’s back in action and coming off a 19-point game. If you’re betting on South Bay, these players need to show up.
South Bay Lakers Predicted Lineup
- Starting 5: Shaquille Harrison (PG), Bryce Hamilton (SG), Jack White (SF), Louis King (PF), Colin Castleton (C)
- Bench: Alex Fudge, Quinndary Weatherspoon, Damion Baugh, Vincent Valerio Bodon, Joey Calcaterra
- Not Playing: Joirdon Karl Nicholas (out)
- NBA: Jalen Hood-Schifino, Skylar Mays, Dylan Windler
Rip City Remix Team News
The Rip City Remix is the newest team to join the G League. They lost three of their first five regular-season games, but have been on fire ever since, winning seven of their last eight. They lost 119-126 to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers on January 27 but bounced back with a 112-107 win three days later. Like the Lakers, the Remix has one player playing in the NBA G League Up Next Game, Ashton Hagans. It’s a well-deserved achievement for someone averaging 15.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 8.8 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. He leads the league in total assists with 122.
Speaking of leading the league, he’s not the only Remix player showing up this season. Antoine Davis currently leads the league in three-pointers made, 53, while George Conditt IV ranks second in the G League in total rebounds with 135. However, Hagans also leads the league in turnovers with 54. The Rip City Remix has several new players on the roster. They acquired Anthony Duruji, D’moi Hodge, and Jazian Gortman in trades. They recently waived Maurice Harkless and Scottie Lewis, while several players are currently on the Portland Trail Blazers’ roster.
Rip City Remix Predicted Lineup
- Starting 5: Ashton Hagans (PG), Antoine Davis (SG), D’moi Hodge (SF), Romeo Weems (PF), George Conditt IV (C)
- Bench: Alex Reese, Anthony Duruji, Jazian Gortman
- Not Playing: Jarrey Foster (out)
- NBA: Rayan Rupert, Kris Murray, Duop Reath
