As the Pacers and Lakers are set to do battle on Friday, a bigger story has emerged from the Pacers. Caris LeVert is finally ready to play for the team. He won’t debut until Saturday after a mass was found on his kidney when he was taking his entrance physical a few months ago.
LeVert is going to provide a lot for the Pacers. He will be a perfect fit alongside Malcolm Brogdon in the backcourt, allowing them two dynamic playmakers going off one another.
They hoped to have this with him and Victor Oladipo, but that obviously never quite happened as expected. If/when TJ Warren eventually returns, the team is going to have one of the best starting lineups in the NBA.
Los Angeles, meanwhile, is still without Anthony Davis. They have been treading water in his absence, as LeBron James has done all he can to keep the team picking up wins.
The center position has been weak, as the undersized Montrezl Harrell has been inconsistent, while the team might be having second thoughts about letting former NBA champ Marc Gasol be their starting center. Upgrades appear to be needed.
ODDS:
The spread for Friday night’s contest favors LA -4.5. The over/under is set at 217.5.
Indy Looking to Build Momentum
Just one day after beating the Cavs as McConnell recorded ten steals, the Pacers lost to the Nuggets. That brought their current streak to L1.
The team has been doing a lot of losing, as their star players haven’t been able to guide the team to enough wins. Domantas Sabonis and Brogdon have been terrific, but there has been a lot of inconsistencies.
There are high expectations for the Pacers, who have not advanced in the playoffs since Paul George left. Not having George isn’t the main reason for this, but something always gets in the way.
They almost stunned James’ Cavs a few years ago but have been swept out of the last two first-rounds. A healthy Sabonis might have changed that last year. With LeVert returning on Saturday, the team gets a major boost.
Lakers Looking for the W
It’s been a weird season for the Lakers. They are among the top teams in the West, but they don’t look as dominant. Rajon Rondo’s departure hasn’t changed much as he didn’t play well in the regular season, but he did a lot for the offense in the playoffs. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has been extremely inconsistent, while they appear to miss the size of JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard.
Howard just had a double-double for the 76ers on Thursday. The roster makeup is certainly interesting and probably still a work in progress.
Alex Caruso and Wes Matthews are very handicapped on the offensive end. A good defense is terrific, but if they can’t score, why would they play big minutes?
To win this one, they’ll need to ride James from start to finish.
Lakers Get the Win
Indy will fall short in their final game with LeVert out. The team will instantly improve. But not against the Lakers.
FREE PLAY: Lakers -4.5
OVER/UNDER: Over 217.5
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