The Indiana Pacers will keep going on their Southern California journey as they face off against the Los Angeles Lakers. A showdown is set for downtown LA as we advance our NBA odds series and provide a prediction and selection for the Pacers-Lakers matchup.
The Lakers are in front in the rivalry series 65-35. In the end, the Pacers have divided the last 10 contests with the Lakers, having a record of 3-2 in their last five games played in Los Angeles.
NBA Odds: Pacers-Lakers Odds
Indiana Pacers: +3 (-110)
Moneyline: +126
Los Angeles Lakers: -3 (-110)
Moneyline: -148
Over: 233.5 (-110)
Under: 233.5 (-110)
How To Watch Pacers vs. Lakers
Time: 4 PM ET/1 PM PT
TV: ESPN, Sportsnet-LA, FanDuel Sports Indiana and WTHR
Reasons the Pacers Might Cover the Spread/Win
The Pacers just secured a comeback victory, defeating the Los Angeles Clippers 119-112. Initially, the situation seemed bleak for the Pacers, but they fought hard and discovered a path to victory. Incredibly, the Pacers came out on top in this game even though they were down 42-22 after the first quarter. Indiana countered by putting up 42 points in the third. Although they permitted the Clippers to answer in the third, they activated their intensity in the fourth quarter. Doing that against the Lakers could be more difficult, particularly given that the purple and gold have been dominating teams from the start.
Pascal Siakam excelled against the Clippers, recording 33 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. In the end, he will play a significant role in this clash with the Lakers, probably facing either Jaxson Hayes or LeBron James. Tyrese Haliburton contributed significantly against the Clippers, netting the majority of his 14 points in the second half. He is expected to play a role against the Lakers, matching up against Austin Reaves. Myles Turner has outlasted yet another trade deadline and remains a key player in the Pacers’ frontcourt. Remarkably, the tall player has been dominant on the boards and is expected to provide the Pacers with an advantage in rebounding against the Lakers.
Although the Pacers possess a size advantage, their guards must contribute significantly. Benedict Mathurin scored 25 points versus the Clippers and aims to achieve even more. Additionally, Haliburton needs to remain consistent. Sadly, Andrew Nembhard fell back to reality on Thursday, scoring only four points with a shooting performance of 2 for 9. The Pacers need to secure defensive stops to create favorable shooting opportunities.
The Pacers will meet the spread if their key players such as Turner and Siakam can control the rebounds. Next, they require their guards to perform effectively and make their baskets.
Reasons the Lakers Might Cover the Spread or Achieve Victory
LeBron James became a member of the 40-point/40-year-old club on Thursday, scoring 42 points against the Golden State Warriors and joining Michael Jordan as the only other player ever to score 40 or more points at age 40. Incredibly, he supported the Lakers as the other teammates had difficulty making their baskets.
The Lakers require additional contributions from Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura. Although Reaves scored 23 points in the game against the Warriors, his shooting was inefficient, hitting only 4 of 17 attempts, with none of 8 from three-point range. Reaves compensated for it by hitting 15 out of 16 from the free-throw line. At the same time, Hachimura scored 11 points with a shooting percentage of 4 for 9 from the field, though his accuracy was not as high as in earlier games.
The Lakers might have to make their shots since they are up against a team that has had issues with rebounds but still possesses the ability to overpower. In addition, they need to make their free-throw shots.
The Lakers will meet the spread if James maintains his shooting efficiency and Reaves and Hachimura add their support. Next, they require improved performance on the boards.
Last Prediction & Pick for Pacers-Lakers
The Pacers have a record of 25-24-1 against the spread, whereas the Lakers stand at 26-22-1 against the spread. Additionally, the Pacers hold a record of 15-13 against the spread when playing away, whereas the Lakers are 14-9 against the spread in their home games. The Pacers hold a 9-9 record against the spread versus the Western Conference, whereas the Lakers have a 9-9-1 record against the spread when playing the Eastern Conference.
The Pacers expended significant effort to come back on Thursday. In the meantime, the Lakers maintained their lead over the Warriors after being ahead by 24 points at one moment. I believe the Lakers will maintain their winning momentum, starting strong and easily defeating the Pacers. Although the Pacers may offer resistance, I believe the Lakers still possess the tools to inflict significant harm.
Final Pacers-Lakers Prediction & Pick: Los Angeles Lakers -3 (-110)