The Los Angeles Lakers have been playing their best basketball as of late, going 16-7 in their last 24 games with a lot of them coming at home.
The Lakers wrap up that long home stretch on Sunday night when they host the Indiana Pacers in what is a rematch of the NBA In-Season Tournament championship.
Both teams are battling for postseason spots in their respective conferences and there’s no doubt the Pacers are looking some revenge. Both played phenomenally in the inaugural In-Season Tournament, advancing all the way to the finals in Las Vegas. It was LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Lakers that got the better of Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers though, winning the first NBA Cup.
Sunday night marks the first of two matchups between these teams in the next week, games that have significant importance for both teams fighting for playoff positioning.
For the Lakers, stopping the Pacers’ high powered offense starts with the head of the snake and that is Haliburton. The Lakers are better equipped to defend him now that Cam Reddish has returned and Spencer Dinwiddie has emerged as a defensive stopper, so look for both of them to get significant minutes.
To amplify that even more, D’Angelo Russell was ruled out with an illness just before tipoff.
Indiana’s roster looks different than when the Lakers played them in the In-Season Tournament as they made a big move ahead of the trade deadline, parting with Bruce Brown for Pascal Siakam.
While it took some time for Siakam to fit in, he has been playing at a high level in recent weeks, averaging 21 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 54.3% from the field in his last 13 games.
The Lakers have also thrived offensively in recent weeks though with D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura doing their part in the starting lineup to have five threats on the floor alongside James and Davis. With that being the case, look for this to be a high-scoring affair with a good pace.
L.A. is set to head out on a six-game road trip after Sunday night’s game, so hopefully they can pick up their third straight win and build some momentum going into that trip.
Los Angeles Lakers (38-32) vs. Indiana Pacers (40-31)
7 p.m. PT, Sunday, March 24, 2024
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California
TV: Spectrum SportsNet, NBA TV
Radio: 710 AM ESPN LA
Projected Lakers Starting Lineup:
PG: Spencer Dinwiddie
SG: Austin Reaves
SF: LeBron James
PF: Rui Hachimura
C: Anthony Davis
Key Reserves: 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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