The Battle of Los Angeles between the Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers kicks off Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena, and to add to the drama of this crosstown match, it's also part of the NBA Cup group stage, raising the stakes beyond just bragging rights. 

This season could not have looked any different for the two SoCal teams. Whole the Lakers have been on a meteoric rise with the likes of Luka Dončić, LeBron James and Austin Reaves leading the way to a 12-4 record and first place spot in the Pacific Division, the season has been one long crash and burn for the Clippers, who are currently 5-12 while reckoning with the loss of several key players to injury. 

The Lakers enter Tuesday's game on a four-game win streak, and the Clippers have gone just 1-4 in their last five games, but with the Lakers missing a crucial piece of their starting five, the Clippers could take advantage and sneak in a win against their rivals. Anything can happen in a cross-town matchup, after all.

Derrick Jones Jr. (knee) is OUT for Tuesday. Tuesday will be the fifth straight game that Jones Jr. will miss with a right MCL sprain. He won't be back anytime soon, either, and is expected to make his return in roughly five weeks.

Jordan Miller (hamstring) is OUT. Like Jones Jr., Miller will miss his fifth straight game with a left hamstring issue. The Clippers haven't been in any rush to bring Miller back and would rather keep him sidelined so as not to risk any more severe issues with his hamstring.  

Bogdan Bogdanović (hip) is QUESTIONABLE for Tuesday. IF he does not appear, this will be the third game that Bogdanović will miss with a hip contusion.

Bradley Beal (hip) is OUT for the rest of the season with a left hip fracture, keeping the Clippers' biggest offseason acquisition sidelined for his first season of a two-year contract.

The Lakers have a remarkably clearer injury report compared to the Clippers, with just one player out. However, the one player missing is a big one.

Deandre Ayton (knee) is OUT for Tuesday's game with a right knee contusion. Ayton has been an outstanding pickup for the Lakers this season, filling in at the center position that the Lakers have been looking to fill for years now. In 15 games, Ayton has averaged 15.5 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks per game while playing 29.2 minutes per game. 

Ayton has been playing at a high level, but with him out, that center position is looking just as vacant as ever and leaves the Lakers vulnerable when it comes to big men. Jaxson Hayes will likely be relied on heavily to step up with the Lakers' primary center sidelined.