The Los Angeles Lakers have been playing their best basketball of late, going 16-7 in their last 24 games, many of them at home.
The Lakers end this long streak Sunday night by hosting the Indiana Pacers in what is a rematch of the NBA In-Season Tournament championship.
Both teams are fighting for playoff spots in their respective conferences and there is no doubt that the Pacers are looking for revenge. Both played phenomenally in the first tournament of the season, making it all the way to the finals in Las Vegas. However, it was LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Lakers who took over Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers, winning the first NBA Cup.
Sunday night marks the first of two matchups between these teams next week, games that hold significant importance for both teams battling for playoff positioning.
For the Lakers, stopping the Pacers’ high-powered offense starts with the head of the snake and that’s Haliburton. The Lakers are better equipped to defend him now that Cam Reddish is back and Spencer Dinwiddie has become a defensive guard, so expect them both to get significant minutes off the bench.
Indiana’s roster looks different than when the Lakers faced them in the in-season tournament, as they made a big move before the trade deadline, parting ways with Bruce Brown for Pascal Siakam.
Although it took a while for Siakam to settle in, he has played 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, but D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura have done their part in the starting lineup to have five threats on the court alongside James and Davis. That being said, expect this to be a high-scoring affair with good pacing.
LA is set to go on a six-game road trip after Sunday night’s game, so hopefully they can get their third straight win and build some momentum heading into that trip.
Los Angeles Lakers (38-32) against Indiana Pacers (40-31)
7 p.m. PT, Sunday March 24, 2024
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California
Television: Spectrum SportsNet, NBA TV
Radio: 7:10 a.m., ESPN LA
Lakers projected starting lineup:
PG: D’Angelo Russell
SG: Austin Reaves
SF: LeBron James
PF: Rui Hachimura
C: Anthony Davis
Key reserves: Taurean Prince, Spencer Dinwiddie, Cam Reddish, Max Christie, Jaxson Hayes
Pacers projected starting lineup:
PG: Tyrese Haliburton
SG: Andrew Nembhard
SF: Aaron Nesmith
PF: Pascal Siakam
C: Myles Turner
Key reserves: Obi Toppin, Jalen Smith, TJ McConnell, Ben Sheppard
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