PREVIEW: The Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers meet Tuesday night with the Cavaliers sitting fourth in the East at 47-28 and the Lakers third in the West at 49-26. The Cavaliers dominated their previous matchup, winning 129-99 at home on January 28. Cleveland brings elite rim attacks ranked third league-wide and solid three-point shooting efficiency ranked seventh, while their defense allows the seventh-fewest rim attempts. The Lakers counter with the league's most efficient paint finishing, the best free throw rate, and strong three-point defense that forces low-quality looks from deep. Los Angeles has caught fire with a 15-2 record in their last 17 games, featuring a top-five offense at 121.1 points per game and a top-10 defense allowing 111.1 points. Cleveland has won six of their last seven games, posting a 123.4 offensive rating during that stretch, though their defense has proven inconsistent at 118.2 points allowed per game. Both teams face back-to-back fatigue, but the Lakers gain an edge with Luka Doncic returning after missing Monday's game and enjoying the comfort of home, while Cleveland travels overnight from Utah. The Cavaliers will be without Dean Wade, Jarrett Allen, Max Strus, and Jaylon Tyson, significantly impacting their depth and perimeter defense.