Lakers face Pacers in NBA In-Season Finals rematch Friday
The Los Angeles Lakers continue their six-game road trip Friday when they take on the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

The Lakers (41-32) won their fifth game in a row Wednesday when they took down the Memphis Grizzlies, 136-124, in a game that saw LeBron James notch his fourth triple-double of the season with 23 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists. Los Angeles was without Anthony Davis (knee), but Rui Hachimura stepped up, tallying a game-high 32 points along with 10 rebounds and two blocks. Thanks to their win streak, the Lakers are in ninth place in the Western Conference standings and are 2.5 games ahead of the Golden State Warriors. If the Lakers can string together more wins down the stretch, they may be able to sneak into the seventh or eighth seed and get two chances at making the postseason via the NBA Play-In Tournament.

James (ankle) and Davis (knee) are both questionable for Friday’s contest.

Meanwhile the Pacers (41-33) are coming off a disappointing 125-99 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, in a game that saw Andrew Nembhard lead the way with 18 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals. Tyrese Haliburton, who was the talk of the NBA for the first half of the season, has struggled since he missed 10 games in January due to a hamstring injury. Since the All-Star break, Haliburton is averaging 16.5 points on 43.4 percent shooting (including 27.5 percent from three on 7.3 attempts per game), 3.8 rebounds, 9.6 assists and 1.5 steals over 32.8 minutes per game. The Pacers sit precariously in sixth place in the East, and if they wish to avoid the NBA Play-In tournament, they will have to put some wins together to fend off the Bulls and Miami Heat.

This is the third and last time the Lakers and Pacers will face each other this season. The Lakers holds a 2-0 season series lead thanks to their victory in the NBA In-Season Tournament Finals on Dec. 9, and their 150-145 win over Indiana on March 24.
Posted on: 3/28/2024 6:57 PM