The Los Angeles Lakers have a chance to win four games in a row for the first time in two months when they visit the Indiana Pacers on Saturday afternoon. The Lakers (40-30) are in seventh place in the Western Conference and would need to win their final two games and get some help to advance out of the play-in tournament. There is a possibility Los Angeles could have LeBron James (ankle) back in the lineup to face Indiana (33-37), which has clinched a play-in berth but is trying to overtake Charlotte for the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference. Anthony Davis (adductor) is questionable for Los Angeles.
Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET from Bankers Life Fieldhouse. William Hill Sportsbook lists Los Angeles as a seven-point favorite, while the over-under for total points scored is 228 in the latest Lakers vs. Pacers odds. Before making any Pacers vs. Lakers picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned over $9,100 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks over the past two-plus seasons. The model is up over $1,100 on its top-rated picks this season and entered Week 21 of the 2020-21 NBA schedule on a stunning 99-64 roll on top-rated NBA picks against the spread dating back to last season. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Lakers vs. Pacers. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting trends for Pacers vs. Lakers:
- Lakers vs. Pacers spread: Lakers -7
- Lakers vs. Pacers over-under: 228 points
- Lakers vs. Pacers money line: Lakers -275; Pacers +235
- LAL: The Lakers are 1-5 in their last six road games
- IND: The Pacers are only 13-22 at home
Featured Game | Indiana Pacers vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Why the Lakers can cover
Even with Davis sitting out Wednesday, Los Angeles’ supporting cast did plenty of damage in a two-point victory over Houston, setting a franchise record with 86 points in the paint. After failing to score in double figures for four straight games, center Andre Drummond had 16 points and 18 rebounds against the New York Knicks before going for 20 points and 10 boards vs. the Rockets. He has at least 10 rebounds in eight of the last 12 games.
Talen Horton-Tucker notched his second straight double-double on Wednesday with a team-high 23 points and 10 assists. Reserve forward Kyle Kuzma came up one point shy of scoring 20 for the fourth time in six games but also recorded a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds, one night after burning the Knicks for 23 points. Kuzma also had a big game off the bench with 24 points and 13 rebounds in a 105-100 win over Indiana on March 12.
Why the Pacers can cover
Indiana has already had five players ruled out so the Pacers are hoping any or all of the three players listed as questionable — Domantas Sabonis (quad), Caris LeVert (knee) and Aaron Holiday (toe) — are able to go. Sabonis was on his way to his third triple-double in four games when he was kneed in the thigh in the third quarter of Thursday’s loss to Milwaukee. Sabonis, who wanted to return to the game, had notched a double-double in 13 of his last 14 games.
LeVert, who was forced to sit out Thursday, had averaged 27.5 points over his previous four games, including three double-doubles, and scored over 30 points in half of the last eight contests. Justin Holiday is coming off a season-high 26-point outing in which he became the fifth player in franchise history to bury eight 3-pointers in one game. T.J. McConnell shook off a thumb injury to collect 23 points, seven assists and three steals Thursday.
How to make Pacers vs. Lakers picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning under on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 224 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits well over 60 percent of the time. You can get that pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Pacers vs. Lakers? And which side of the spread hits well over 60 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that is on a roll on NBA picks.