The NBA Play-In matchups are set with the first games underway tomorrow. The Lakers will travel to New Orleans to take on the Pelicans on Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. ET.
Matchup History
These teams met four times in the 2023-24 regular season. LA won the season series 3-1, including a blowout victory in the In-Season Tournament semifinals.
- Dec. 7, 2023: Lakers 133, Pelicans 89 (In-Season Tournament semifinals)
- Dec. 31, 2023: Pelicans 129, Lakers 109
- Feb. 9, 2024: Lakers 139, Pelicans 122
- April 14, 2024: Lakers 124, Pelicans 108
This will be a rematch as the two squads faced off just yesterday in Los Angeles. However, Anthony Davis suffered yet another injury, putting his status for tomorrow’s game in question.
Will Anthony Davis Play?
In the fourth quarter of last nights game, Anthony Davis suffered a back injury that sent him to the locker room. The Lakers did not practice today, but listed Davis as questionable for tomorrow’s game. AD has been under heavy criticism for his durability issues throughout his career. But the nine-time All Star played in a career-high 76 games this season, so this is an unfortunate setback.
Lakers Pelicans Prediction
Winner: Pelicans, IF Anthony Davis doesn’t play
The Pelicans opened as 1.5-point favorites over the Lakers according to BetMGM.
The result of this game hinges on the health of Anthony Davis. The Pelicans will find a way to win at home if Davis isn’t cleared to play in tomorrow’s game. This isn’t a rivalry, but there is plenty of history between these two teams. The Pelicans are responsible for trading Anthony Davis to the Lakers in a deal that gave them Brandon Ingram. Ingram will look to exact revenge on his former team alongside Zion Williamson, who will make his long-awaited playoff debut.
The situation sets up perfectly for New Orleans. The Pels will have home-court advantage and a lot to prove as a young team battling King James. That added motivation will be enough to put them over the top.
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