The Los Angeles Lakers are closing in on clinching home court advantage throughout the Western Conference Playoffs. The Lakers are 45-12 this season, and while they aren’t likely to catch the Milwaukee Bucks for the best record in the NBA, they should be able to secure the No. 1 seed out West. They currently have a lead of 5.5 games over the Denver Nuggets, and they are looking for a victory over the surging New Orleans Pelicans to keep their hopes intact.
This game will take place at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on March 1, 2020, and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.
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Head-To-Head Results to Date
This will be the fourth meeting between these teams this season. The Lakers have won all three previous meetings, but all three of those games were decided by 10 points or less this campaign. Their first meeting was on the night before Thanksgiving, and the Lakers beat the Pelicans 114-110. Anthony Davis tallied 41 points in his return to the Big Easy, leading the Lakers to a victory.
Davis was unstoppable in the second meeting between these two teams too. He scored 46 points against the Pelicans, converting on 15 of 21 field goals and hitting all 13 of his free throw attempts in a 123-113 win.
The last clash between these teams was earlier this week when the Lakers topped the Pelicans 118-109 in the Staples Center. Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson tried their best to lead New Orleans to a victory by scoring a combined 63 points, but LeBron James was too much. James went 17-27 from the floor to lead all scorers with 40 points.
Injury Report
LeBron James sat out of Thursday night’s game against the Warriors due to a groin injury. The Lakers won the game by 30 points without James, but they will hope he is back in the lineup by Sunday when they head to New Orleans.
The Pelicans won’t have Darius Miller available for the rest of the season due to a torn Achilles’ tendon. Kenrich Williams is questionable to play this week too, and he has been out since January 6 due to a lower back injury.
Matchup to Watch
This will be Davis’ second game in New Orleans as a member of the Lakers. He dismantled the Pelicans in his first two games against his former team, and he will be out to wreak havoc once ore. Davis is one of the best players in the NBA, and the Pelicans don’t have a big man that can slow him down as Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson have both struggled on defense.
Game Preview
The Lakers have won all three of the previous meetings between these teams, but the Pelicans were more competitive the last time out because of Williamson. The rookie finished the game with 29 points, and he makes an excellent combination with Ingram in the frontcourt. Ingram is one of the most efficient shooters on New Orleans, and his ability to create his own shots no matter where he is on the court is undervalued.
Avery Bradley had an awful game on Tuesday, going 0-8 from the floor and finishing with no points in 22 minutes. That underscores some of the major problems with the Lakers’ backcourt, and this team is in trouble if two of the three of Bradley, Danny Green, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are struggling.
Prediction
Williamson and Ingram will post good numbers on Sunday night, but it won’t be enough to overcome the Lakers.
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