Here is what you need to know before the Lakers return to L.A. to face the
Indiana Pacers.
1) Lakers have a lot of plugs to fill Two starters are out. A third is
questionable, as is one of the bench’s best players.
The Lakers will be without Lonzo Ball and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and will
await news on the statuses of Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma.
L.A. has still failed to win without Ball active, falling to 0-8 in Oklahoma
City on Wednesday. Without their starting point guard, the Lakers have suffered
on both sides of the court and in transition.
Meanwhile, Kuzma, Ingram and Caldwell-Pope are the team’s three top scorers in
that order. Obviously, the Lakers will need others to step up to the task of
filling the void left by whichever players are unable to suit up.
Five as One #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/QG9Lg14Ebz
2) Randle’s on a roller coaster Julius Randle’s last five games in terms of
scoring: 22, 0, 23, 9, 16.
It’s been a weird week for the starting power forward, who has alternated
between excellent and transparent when it comes to getting his own buckets.
Even his most recent game was a polar one, as he scored 16 in the first half,
but went scoreless on just one shot in the second.
If the Lakers are missing three or four of their key players in this game,
Randle will likely be called upon to provide some scoring. He’s certainly shown
capable, averaging 15.5 points and 9.3 rebounds as a starter.
Look for whether Randle is aggressive from the get-go in this one.
Julius gets the Lakers on the board with a two-handed slam. #LakeShow (:
@SpectrumSN, @spectdeportes, ESPN) pic.twitter.com/Oid9WXDKNw
3) It’s all about ‘Dipo Victor Oladipo looks like a lock for Most Improved
Player. Once written off as a bust, the 2013 second-overall pick is now 12th in
the NBA in scoring (24.3) and seventh in steals (1.93).
Always a plus on the defensive side, Oladipo’s scoring leap for Indiana has been
extraterrestrial.
Seemingly out of nowhere, he has shot 48.4 percent from the field and 40.6
percent on 3-pointers. He’s also one of the league’s three most efficient guards
when it comes to scoring out of pick-and-rolls.
But his greatest value is out in transition, where he ranks second among all
players in fast-break scoring (4.8), leading a Pacers squad that is third as a
team (14.8).
The Lakers — who are second (17.0) — will have to commit to their own
pace-pushing style in order to keep up without Ball in the lineup.
Injury Report Lakers: Lonzo Ball (sore left knee) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
(right Achilles tendon strain) are out. Brandon Ingram (mild left ankle sprain)
and Kyle Kuzma (left hand fifth MP joint sprain) are questionable. Pacers: Myles
Turner (sore right elbow), Glen Robinson III (left ankle surgery rehabilitation)
and Edmond Sumner (left knee surgery rehabilitation) are out.
Tip-Off: 7:30 p.m. PT TV: Spectrum SportsNet and Spectrum Deportes Radio: 710
ESPN and 1330 KWKW Unis: Gold Location: STAPLES Center — Los Angeles,
California
Click here to view game notes for this contest.
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