The Lakers (50-27) are back in action on Easter Sunday against the Dallas Mavericks (24-53) on the road.

L.A. looks to sweep the four-game season series against Dallas this season.

Start time and TV schedule

Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks

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When: 4:30 p.m. PT, Apr 5

Where: American Airlines Center

Watch: NBC, Peacock

Just when the Lakers were playing their best basketball of the season, they experienced the worst possible scenario as soon as the Calendar turned April. Not only is Luka Dončić out for the foreseeable future now but so is Austin Reaves who will miss the remainder of the regular season.

When it rains, it indeed pours.

And just like that, the state of the Lakers feels more bleak than ever. With the playoffs beginning in less than two weeks, a championship now feels more out of reach for Los Angeles than ever before. Now, they’re left having to figure out what to do in the midst of all of this instead of gearing up for the most crucial time of the year.

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The Lakers will have to do that starting Sunday when they face a lottery-bound Mavericks team that’s currently on a three-game losing streak. While it’s tempting to say that it’s just the Mavs and that this game is pretty much meaningless for them, it’s hard to do so knowing that the purple and gold’s faith now relies on 41-year-old LeBron James.

For as incredible as James still is, the superstar can’t carry this team by himself and without Dončić and Reaves, it’s hard to picture how this Lakers team can be competitive.

That said, they’re going to have to try and that means practicing the next man up mentality. Can Rui Hachimura, Jake LaRavia, Deandre Ayton and the rest step up? They obviously won’t be able to fill the void that Dončić and Reaves left but at the very least, it would be nice to see if they can help keep this team competitive.

Note that the Mavericks may be in the middle of a three-game losing streak but their rookie Cooper Flagg is still playing at a high level. Flagg is coming off a 51-point performance and is surrounded with quality role players like Max Christie, Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall, Brandon Williams and Daniel Gafford. So this one isn’t by any means going to be a walk in the park.

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For the first time ever this season, it feels as if the Lakers are very much the underdogs without two of their best players. On Sunday, we’ll get a first look at how they’ll be until the end of the regular season and into the playoffs.

Sigh.

Let’s see if there’s anything still worth being hopeful about for the purple and gold on Easter Sunday.

Notes and Updates

For the Lakers’ injury report, Luka Dončić (left hamstring strain), Austin Reaves (left oblique muscle strain) and Marcus Smart (right ankle contusion) are out.

Jared Vanderbilt (right calf soreness) is also listed on the report as questionable.

As for the Mavericks, Kyrie Irving (left knee surgery), Dereck Lively II (right foot surgery), Caleb Martin (right plantar fascia) are out.

Marvin Bagley III (left shoulder impingement) is probable while Tyler Smith (low back spasms) is questionable.

You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani.