The Los Angeles Lakers are on arguably their best run of the season as they continue on their road trip with a stop in Indiana to take on the Pacers for the second time this week.
The Lakers held on for a 150-145 win on Sunday in the franchise’s highest scoring game since 1987 and will be looking for a similar offensive performance in hopes of picking up their sixth straight win, and third on this road trip.
Most important is that Anthony Davis is back in the lineup after sitting out the Lakers’ win in Memphis due to a minor knee injury. The Pacers simply have no answer for Davis, who not only dominated on Sunday, but also in the In-Season Tournament Championship Game, also won by the Lakers. Simply put, he is the Lakers’ biggest advantage as he controls the paint unlike any other.
The Pacers are the highest scoring team in the league so the Lakers’ offense will have to be on point. LeBron James is going to deliver as always, but the role players need to step up as well. Rui Hachimura has been excellent as of late, and that level of play has lifted the Lakers’ ceiling tremendously.
Additionally, the Lakers are going to need at least two of their three main guards in D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves and Spencer Dinwiddie to have big offensive nights. Both Dinwiddie and Reaves were excellent on Sunday as Russell sat out with an illness, but the Lakers need their guards to win the backcourt battle against one of the best pure point guards in the NBA today.
Tyrese Haliburton is the man who makes the Pacers offense go. Pascal Siakam has given the Pacers another excellent option whom they can run offense through, but make no mistake it is Haliburton who drives this team and containing him is the Lakers’ top priority on defense. Reaves, Dinwiddie, Cam Reddish and Max Christie should all see time on the All-Star and give him many different looks to deal with as keeping him in check also helps to limit the likes of Aaron Nesmith or Myles Turner catching fire from deep.
One huge key for the Lakers is taking care of the ball. The Pacers rank third in the NBA in points off turnovers and fourth in fastbreak points, so limiting turnovers and not letting Indiana get out in transition is of the utmost importance. Additionally, these are the top two teams in the league in points in the paint so winning that battle could decide the game.
The Lakers have shown themselves to be a tough matchup for the Pacers so far this season, despite having some similarities. Both teams live in the paint and thrive in transition, but the difference has been Davis.
Both the Lakers and Pacers are fighting for playoff positioning in their respective conferences and need all the wins they can get. The Lakers were unhappy with their defensive performance against this team on Sunday so if they can ramp that up in this one, they should be able to complete a season sweep.
Los Angeles Lakers (41-32) vs. Indiana Pacers (41-33)
4:00 p.m. PT, Friday, March 29, 2024
Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
TV: Spectrum SportsNet, NBA TV
Radio: 710 AM ESPN LA
Projected Lakers Starting Lineup:
PG: D’Angelo Russell
SG: Austin Reaves
SF: LeBron James
PF: Rui Hachimura
C: Anthony Davis
Key Reserves: Spencer Dinwiddie, Taurean Prince, Cam Reddish, Max Christie, Jaxson Hayes
Projected Pacers Starting Lineup:
PG: Tyrese Haliburton
SG: Andrew Nembhard
SF: Aaron Nesmith
PF: Pascal Siakam
C: Myles Turner
Key Reserves: Obi Toppin, Jalen Smith, T.J. McConnell, Ben Sheppard
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