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The Indiana Pacers will take on the LA Lakers at the Staples Center to begin a three-game road trip out west on Friday. The Pacers are hoping to start their road trip with a victory against the defending champions, who are also going through a difficult stretch without All-Star forward Anthony Davis.
The LA Lakers and Indiana Pacers will each be led by an All-Star forward. When these teams meet, they will be determined to kick off the second half of their seasons with a win. But only one of them will go home smiling.
Indiana Pacers vs. LA Lakers: 3 key matchups to look out for
The Indiana Pacers have lost five of their last six games and have fallen three games below .500 at 16-19.
Going on the road, the Indiana Pacers have to use their time away from home as an opportunity to re-establish themselves as one of the top teams in the East.
Meanwhile, the LA Lakers have surrendered six of their last eight outings and are in danger of going further down the standings if they don’t win this game. They sit precariously in third place with a 24-13 record, just half a game ahead of the LA Clippers.
Check out our 3 key matchups in the Indiana Pacers-LA Lakers game:
#1 Domantas Sabonis vs. LeBron James
LeBron James picked Domantas Sabonis to be on Team LeBron for the All-Star Game. Though Sabonis was probably flattered to have been chosen, he will not feel indebted to James when they meet on Friday.
The Indiana Pacers’ All-Star forward is averaging 20.8 points, 11.1 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 1.0 steals per game. Sabonis’ versatility will be a challenge for the LA Lakers, as he can create havoc on the court with his all-around play. He can shoot from inside and out while also being aware of his open teammates.
Sabonis will likely be guarded mostly by Markieff Morris and Kyle Kuzma when the two teams meet. The 24-year-old and James are the marquee names in this Indiana Pacers-LA Lakers matchup.
James is second in the league in defensive win shares, but his energy will be best reserved for the offensive end instead of guarding Sabonis. The King has averages of 25.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 7.8 assists, and 1.1 steals per game this season. James is aware of how badly his MVP campaign has been hit by the LA Lakers’ recent stretch of poor play.
Hence, he will undoubtedly come out with more fire from the start and has the edge over Domantas Sabonis.
#2 Myles Turner vs. Montrezl Harrell
Myles Turner is unofficially a Defensive Player of the Year candidate, with a league-leading average of 3.4 blocks per game this season. If Montrezl Harrell gets the nod to start this game, he will be matched up with Turner from the get-go, and that will not be easy.
Harrell is the more gifted offensive player and scores 20.6 points per 36 minutes. But his offensive abilities will be tested at the rim when he meets the Indiana Pacers center.
To keep Turner honest, Harrell will have to take the Indiana Pacers center outside, where the latter has to make his jumpers to open up driving lanes.
Otherwise, Turner’s defense will get into Harrell's head and bother him all night long. Turner has the huge responsibility of erasing his teammates' mistakes while also being ready for opponents that are funneled straight to him.
This gives Harrell a small window to potentially get the better of Turner, but it will be a difficult matchup for the LA Lakers center regardless.
The advantage here goes to Turner.
#3 Malcolm Brogdon vs. Dennis Schroder
This matchup of point guards will be an interesting one. Malcolm Brogdon has shown this season that he is one of the best yet among the least appreciated point guards in the league.
Averaging a career-high and team-leading 21.2 points per game this season for the Indiana Pacers, Brogdon has been as solid as any guard in the league.
Dennis Schroder’s value to the LA Lakers was validated when they lost four straight contests without him. The Lakers sorely missed Schroder’s speed and playmaking abilities during his absence. It showed in how stagnant the Lakers’ offense was at times, especially during crucial moments.
Schroder will be tested by Brogdon, who is one of the best perimeter defenders at the point guard position.
Schroder is putting up only 14.9 points per game this season, down from his career-high of 18.9 last year with the OKC Thunder. However, given that the LA Lakers have more offensive options than his previous team, Schroder’s scoring dip is understandable.
With that said, Brogdon is the more versatile of the two and should have the advantage in this matchup.
Pacers vs. LA Lakers Prediction:
Though the LA Lakers were bested 2-1 in our three key matchups, the Indiana Pacers are not as deep. Expect the LA Lakers to have the bench advantage over the Indiana Pacers, who need more offensive firepower to overcome the Purple and Gold.
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