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Daniel Coyle
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Indiana Pacers Prediction, NBA Odds
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.
LAL
IND