The Los Angeles Lakers continue to stack wins on the road and look to extend their winning streak away from Staples Center when they take on a solid Indiana Pacers team.
The Pacers have managed to cobble up an impressive 18-9 record behind their defense and Malcolm Brogdon has been a steady presence for their offense as he is averaging a robust 19.1 points and 7.7 assists while also hitting nearly 35 percent of his three-point attempts.
Domantas Sabonis has also been a key piece for Indiana as he has established himself as perhaps their most pivotal player. He is currently averaging career-highs in points (17.7), rebounds (13.5), and assists (3.8).
Brogdon and Sabonis have held down the fort in Victor Oladipo’s absence and are the two players the Lakers should be most concerned about heading into their matchup.
LeBron James, who was recently named the NBA Western Conference Player of the Week, may need to carry the offensive load once again as the Pacers boast one of the more stout defenses in the league. James will likely see T.J. Warren on him for most of the night, and he should be able to take advantage of his size and speed like he normally does.
One of the key focuses for the Lakers has to be taking care of the basketball as they have been turnover prone as of late. They were fortunate enough to escape with wins against the Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks, but giving the Pacers extra possessions could be costly.
Los Angeles would also do themselves a huge favor by hitting open shots as they were a dismal 5-of-31 from beyond the arc against Atlanta. Players like Danny Green and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope should once again get good looks and the Lakers could use the shooting boost.
Although the Pacers have played a relatively soft schedule, they are still a team that could legitimately threaten the team’s 14-game road winning streak if they are not careful.
Anthony Davis, who sprained his ankle against the Hawks, will not play against the Pacers.
Los Angeles Lakers (24-3) vs. Indiana Pacers (18-9)
4:00 P.M. PT, Dec. 17, 2019
Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
TV: Spectrum SportsNet
Radio: 710 AM (ESPN), 1330 KWKW (Spanish)
Projected Lakers Starting Lineup:
PG: LeBron James
SG: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
SF: Danny Green
PF: Jared Dudley
C: JaVale McGee
Key Reserves: Dwight Howard, Alex Caruso, Avery Bradley, Rajon Rondo
Projected Pacers Starting Lineup:
PG: Malcolm Brogdon
SG: Jeremy Lamb
SF: T.J. Warren
PF: Domantis Sabonis
C: Myles Turner
Key Reserves: Aaron Holiday, Justin Holiday, T.J. McConnell, Doug McDermott