Lakers and Pacers Face Off in Interconference Battle
The Los Angeles Lakers take on the Indiana Pacers in an NBA seeding game in Orlando on Saturday evening.

The Lakers (51-17) have already clinched the top seed in the Western Conference, and lately, they've been playing like a team that's now lacking a bit of incentive. Los Angeles has dropped two straight games, with their most recent stumble coming against the Houston Rockets by a 113-97 score on Thursday night. In LeBron James' (groin/rest) absence, Kyle Kuzma led the Lakers with 21 points, five rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks. Anthony Davis contributed a 17-point, 12-rebound double-double that also included three assists and one block. Danny Green, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Talen Horton-Tucker furnished 10 points each.

The Lakers will list Davis (ankle), Markieff Morris (hip) and Dwight Howard (knee) as probable and both James (groin) and Alex Caruso (neck) as questionable for Saturday's game. Rajon Rondo (thumb) remains out.

The Pacers (42-27) have been enjoying their time in Orlando for the most part, as they've won three of their first four seeding games. However, their only stumble during that sample came in their most recent contest, when they fell to the Phoenix Suns by a 114-99 score on Thursday afternoon. Malcolm Brogdon overcame a questionable designation due to a neck injury to lead the Pacers with 25 points, a total he supplemented with six rebounds, six assists and one block. Myles Turner followed with 17 points, eight boards, two assists, three blocks and one steal. T.J. Warren and Victor Oladipo finished with matching 16-point tallies, with Warren also pulling down 11 rebounds. T.J. McConnell led the bench with eight points.

The Pacers will list Warren (foot), Turner (ankle) and Doug McDermott (knee) as questionable for Saturday's game,

Saturday's game marks the second and final meeting between the teams this season. The Lakers hold a 1-0 series lead, having notched a 105-102 win on Dec. 17.
Posted on: 8/7/2020 8:32 PM
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