Game: Indiana Pacers @ Los Angeles Lakers
Time: 10:30 p.m. ET
Odds: Pacers +4.5, Lakers -4.5
Total: 223
The Indiana Pacers have been having a rough month. The Pacers have exactly one win in their last 11 games. They somehow found a way to beat Utah as a 4.5-point underdog. Tonight, the task is a mighty one as Indiana travels to Los Angeles to take on the Lakers. Making matters worse for the Pacers is that they will have to play once again without Myles Turner, the NBA leader in blocked shots. Malcolm Brogdon and Jerami Lamb are both listed as questionable and if they are unavailable tonight things could get ugly.
Indiana has played 20 road games so far this season. They have just three wins. The Pacers have lost each of their last eight games away from home. The Lakers welcome such an opponent. L.A. dropped three straight games before beating Utah on Monday to even up the Lakers record at 22-22.
In the win over Utah, LeBron James had 25 points and the Lakers bench chipped in with 44 more. The Lakers defense was also outstanding holding the NBA’s top-scoring team to just 95 points. The Lakers’ defense could be affected tonight by the availability of Dwight Howard. He is listed as questionable with a knee issue and if he doesn’t play it will force the Lakers to play small ball with James as the center.
The Lakers have had success recently playing at home where they are 5-1 straight up over their last six games. L.A. has also had success against Indiana when playing the Pacers at home. The Lakers have covered the spread in each of the last six games against Indiana. However, the Pacers are 4-2 ATS in the last six games overall against Los Angeles.
Indiana has lost its last four games in a row. In that streak, the Pacers have lost those games by an average of 11.5 points per game. In their last game, Indiana scored 133 points against the Clippers. They still lost by six.
In their last three games, Indiana has given up an average of over 123 points per game. The Lakers, despite their recent defensive success against Utah, rank 27th in the NBA in scoring defense allowing 112.9 points per game. If Howard does not play, expect a high-scoring game. That has been the result when James plays at center for the Lakers. In the first game between these two teams this season, James scored 39 points and the final score was 124-116. That went well Over the game total of 217.
The Lakers trend Over with a 25-19 Over/Under record this season. The total has gone Over in five of their last six games and in four of the last six against Indiana. The Pacers are trending in that direction too. The total has gone Over in four of Indiana’s last six games. The Over is 16-10 this season when the Lakers play at home.