Marquee games Lakers, Luka Doncic and fans should circle for 2026-27
The Lakers now know their 2026-27 regular schedule – the longest road trips (the annual Grammy swing in late January/early February), the long homestands (three separate five-game stretches in December, March and April) and the competitive breaks.They also know the marquee matchups in which Luka Doncic will be the featured player, leading a roster that was reconstructed around the Slovenian superstar.Here are several big games the Lakers and Doncic should have circled in 2026-27: By the time October rolls around, Doncic would’ve already been with the Lakers for 20 months. This won’t be his first season opener in the Purple and Gold, but it will be the Lakers’ first season opener without former superstar LeBron James on the roster since 2017, marking a pivotal moment in the franchise’s Doncic-led era. This matchup is less about Doncic and the Lakers, and more about their marquee offseason acquisition, center Walker Kessler, playing his former team for the first time after the Jazz sent Kessler to the Lakers in a sign-and-trade.Kessler, the No.22 pick in the 2022 draft, spent the first four seasons of his NBA career in Utah before restricted free agency led him to Los Angeles. This will be the first of three matchups between the Lakers and the defending Western Conference champions.It’ll also be the first matchup between two players in Doncic and reigning Defensive Player of the Year, French phenom Victor Wembanyama, who finished in the top-four in MVP voting in 2025-26.This is the first of a pair of two-game series between the Lakers and Timberwolves – the two Western Conference playoff teams who underwent the most change this offseason. The Timberwolves will have plenty of starpower on their end, led by All-NBA guard Anthony Edwards, four-time DPOY Rudy Gobert and recently-acquired All-Star guard LaMelo Ball.This will be a good test for both teams to see where they stand in the conference. Christmas Day matchups always draw eyeballs. Add in...