The Pacers return home after dropping a 112-100 decision in Memphis that marks their 10th straight up loss in 11 outings, and dumped them into a virtual tie with Chicago for the 10th and final playoff spot in the East. The Lakers close out a four-game road trip in Indiana after topping New York 129-123 on Tuesday night, but have tallied consecutive wins just once while going a middling 5-7 over their past 12 contests.

After briefly vaulting to 2-point road favourites, the Lakers have settled back to their opening position as 1.5-point chalk on the NBA odds. The total has fluctuated since opening at 241, and is currently pegged at 240.5.

Lakers vs. Pacers NBA Betting Odds

Thursday night’s matchup at Gainbridge Fieldhouse marks the second and final meeting of the season between these clubs. The Pacers eked at a narrow 116-115 win when they visited Los Angeles on November 28, but are winless in their past two home dates with the Lakers.

While the UNDER holds a slight edge, going 4-3 over the past seven clashes between these clubs, recent matchups in Indiana have tended towards high scoring, with the total reaching 230 three times during a 4-1 run for the OVER.

The Lakers have produced positive results on the road of late, going 6-4 over their past 10 while going 7-2-1 against the spread. Conversely, the Pacers have gone just 1-3 at home during their current swoon, but have covered in 11 of 16 dates this season as home underdogs.

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers needed overtime to produce the first win on their current five-game road trip after letting a fourth-quarter lead slip away in Tuesday night’s 129-123 victory over the Knicks. With the win, the Lakers now sit just two games out of the playoff picture in the Western Conference, and with a date with 10th-place New Orleans on the schedule for Saturday, Thursday’s tilt with the Pacers takes on added importance.

LA has run up the score in recent road dates, padding their against the spread record while averaging 119.8 points per game over their past 10 away contests. However, this team continues to struggle to contain opposing shooters on the road, allowing an average of 122 points over their past six away dates.

The wounded duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis continue to keep this club in the hunt. James led Tuesday’s assault with 28 points and his first triple-double of the season while AD contributes 27 points despite his continued struggles with a foot injury. Veteran point guard Patrick Beverley is also battling a knee injury that forced him to miss Tuesday’s win, but is listed as probable for Thursday night.

Indiana Pacers

What started out as a promising campaign has quickly come undone for the beleaguered Pacers. The club has fallen to defeat by double-digit margins six times during their current 1-10 run, and will fall out of the playoff with a loss to the Lakers, combined with a Chicago Bulls win in Charlotte on Thursday night.

With so much on the line, head coach Rick Carlisle has reportedly stated his intention of inserting Tyrese Haliburton back into the lineup. The Pacers’ leading scorer has been sidelined by an elbow injury since the team’s 119-113 loss to the Knicks on January 11, which also marked the start of the club’s current slide.

With Haliburton on the shelf, Bennedict Mathurin has seen his responsibilities increase, and has thrived. Mathurin once again led the Pacers with 27 points in Sunday’s loss to the Grizzlies, and has now averaged 24.6 points and 6.2 rebounds over his past five outings, and now sits second on the odds to claim this season’s NBA Rookie of the Year honours as a +307 bet.

NBA Prediction: Who Will Win Lakers vs. Pacers?

• Regular Season

Lakers Team Leaders

LAL

Points	LeBron James 29.53
Assists	LeBron James 6.94
Rebounds	Anthony Davis 12.5
FG%	Davon Reed 66.7
Steals	Jarred Vanderbilt 1.44
Blocks	Anthony Davis 2.09

IND

Points	Tyrese Haliburton 20.76
Assists	Tyrese Haliburton 10.43
Rebounds	Myles Turner 7.55
FG%	Isaiah Jackson 57.1
Steals	Tyrese Haliburton 1.65
Blocks	Myles Turner 2.3

• Regular Season

Pacers Team Leaders

LAL

Points	LeBron James 29.53
Assists	LeBron James 6.94
Rebounds	Anthony Davis 12.5
FG%	Davon Reed 66.7
Steals	Jarred Vanderbilt 1.44
Blocks	Anthony Davis 2.09

IND

Points	Tyrese Haliburton 20.76
Assists	Tyrese Haliburton 10.43
Rebounds	Myles Turner 7.55
FG%	Isaiah Jackson 57.1
Steals	Tyrese Haliburton 1.65
Blocks	Myles Turner 2.3

Injuries

L.A. Lakers

Anthony Davis (PF)

Prob Sun Foot - 18 / 03 / 23

Anthony Davis (PF)

Prob Fri Foot - 15 / 03 / 23

Anthony Davis (PF)

Prob Tues Foot - 13 / 03 / 23

Anthony Davis (PF)

Prob Sun Foot - 11 / 03 / 23

D'Angelo Russell (PG)

Prob Sun Ankle - 11 / 03 / 23

Anthony Davis (PF)

Prob Fri Foot - 09 / 03 / 23

Anthony Davis (PF)

Prob Tues Foot - 06 / 03 / 23

Mo Bamba (C)

Mid April Ankle - 05 / 03 / 23

Dennis Schroder (PG)

Prob Fri Ankle - 02 / 03 / 23

Anthony Davis (PF)

Prob Fri Foot - 01 / 03 / 23

Indiana

Isaiah Jackson (PF)

Prob Mon Knee - 19 / 03 / 23

Buddy Hield (SG)

Ques Thurs Foot - 15 / 03 / 23

Chris Duarte (SG)

Ques Wed Ankle - 13 / 03 / 23

Buddy Hield (SG)

Prob Mon Foot - 12 / 03 / 23

T.J. McConnell (PG)

Ques Thurs Back - 10 / 03 / 23

Myles Turner (C)

Ques Thurs Back - 10 / 03 / 23

Aaron Nesmith (SG)

Prob Thurs Hip - 04 / 03 / 23

Kendall Brown (SG)

out for season Shin - 28 / 02 / 23

Isaiah Jackson (PF)

Ques Thurs Illness - 15 / 02 / 23

Daniel Theis (PF)

Prob Thurs Thumb - 14 / 02 / 23

Injuries

L.A. Lakers

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Anthony Davis (PF)	Prob Sun	Foot - 18 / 03 / 23	1-0	1-0	+ -
Davis is dealing with a right foot stress injury, but it is predicted he will be available against the Magic on Sunday.
Anthony Davis (PF)	Prob Fri	Foot - 15 / 03 / 23	0-0	0-0	+ -
Davis missed the last contest due to a foot injury, but it is predicted that he will be available Friday against the Mavericks.
Anthony Davis (PF)	Prob Tues	Foot - 13 / 03 / 23	1-1	1-1	+ -
Davis has a right foot stress injury, but he is projected to lace up against the Pelicans on Tuesday.
Anthony Davis (PF)	Prob Sun	Foot - 11 / 03 / 23	3-2	1-4	+ -
Davis has a right foot stress injury, but he is projected to lace up against the Knicks on Sunday.
D'Angelo Russell (PG)	Prob Sun	Ankle - 11 / 03 / 23	3-2	1-4	+ -
Russell is expected to take on the Knicks on Sunday despite a right ankle sprain.
Anthony Davis (PF)	Prob Fri	Foot - 09 / 03 / 23	3-2	1-4	+ -
Davis has a right foot injury, but he is projected to lace up against the Raptors on Friday.
Anthony Davis (PF)	Prob Tues	Foot - 06 / 03 / 23	3-2	1-4	+ -
Davis is dealing with a right foot injury, but he is expected to suit up Tuesday versus the Grizzlies.
Mo Bamba (C)	Mid April	Ankle - 05 / 03 / 23	3-2	1-4	+ -
Bamba is idle with a high left ankle sprain, and he is expected to remain sidelined for at least four weeks.
Dennis Schroder (PG)	Prob Fri	Ankle - 02 / 03 / 23	4-3	2-4-1	+ -
Schroder is nursing a left ankle sprain, but it is not anticipated to impact his status against the Timberwolves on Friday.
Anthony Davis (PF)	Prob Fri	Foot - 01 / 03 / 23	5-3	2-5-1	+ -
Davis missed the previous contest with a right foot injury, but he is expected to suit up Friday versus the Timberwolves.

Indiana

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Isaiah Jackson (PF)	Prob Mon	Knee - 19 / 03 / 23	1-1	1-1	+ -
Jackson is hindered by a right knee sprain, but it is likely that he will partake in Monday's tilt versus the Hornets.
Buddy Hield (SG)	Ques Thurs	Foot - 15 / 03 / 23	0-0	0-0	+ -
Hield is nursing left foot soreness, leaving his availability against the Bucks on Thursday up in the air.
Chris Duarte (SG)	Ques Wed	Ankle - 13 / 03 / 23	1-0	1-0	+ -
Duarte has missed the last three games due to left ankle soreness, and it is unknown if he will lace up against the Raptors on Wednesday.
Buddy Hield (SG)	Prob Mon	Foot - 12 / 03 / 23	1-0	1-0	+ -
Hield is experiencing left foot soreness, but it is expected that he will take on the Pistons on Monday.
T.J. McConnell (PG)	Ques Thurs	Back - 10 / 03 / 23	1-1	2-0	+ -
McConnell has been held out of the last two contests with back soreness, and it is uncertain if he will suit up against the Bucks on Thursday.
Myles Turner (C)	Ques Thurs	Back - 10 / 03 / 23	1-1	2-0	+ -
Turner has sat out the previous two games due to lower-back soreness, and it is up in the air if he will lace up for Thursday's showdown versus the Bucks.
Aaron Nesmith (SG)	Prob Thurs	Hip - 04 / 03 / 23	3-2	4-1	+ -
Nesmith has been held out of the previous two games due to left hip soreness, but it is projected he will dress for Thursday's matchup with the Rockets.
Kendall Brown (SG)	out for season	Shin - 28 / 02 / 23	5-2	5-2	+ -
Brown is sidelined while recovering from surgery to address a right tibia stress fracture, and he is likely to miss the remainder of the season.
Isaiah Jackson (PF)	Ques Thurs	Illness - 15 / 02 / 23	7-3	7-3	+ -
Jackson exited the last contest due to an illness, and it is undetermined if he will be active against the Celtics on Thursday.
Daniel Theis (PF)	Prob Thurs	Thumb - 14 / 02 / 23	7-3	7-3	+ -
Theis was held out of the last contest due to a right thumb sprain, but it is forecasted that he will lace up for Thursday's clash versus the Celtics.