6:00 PM EST, ESPN2 – Line: Pelicans -1.5, Over/Under: 232.5
History is approaching and it’s not outside the realm of possibility that it could happen tonight, as one of the National Basketball Association’s most revered records could fall with the Los Angeles Lakers battling the fading New Orleans Pelicans from Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. As usual, there is no shortage of storylines swirling around the Lakers (25-28, 12th in Western Conference), from the recent return of (oft-injured Forward) Anthony Davis, to the addition of (young Forward) Rui Hachimura, to the potential acquisition of the mercurial, yet supremely talented (All-Star Guard) Kyrie Irving before Thursday’s Trade Deadline, each warranting discussion, but at the moment the most notable story is that of (four-time MVP) LeBron James and his pursuit of the all-time scoring record. At a staggering 38,325 career points, the 38-year-old stands just sixty-three points behind the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most in NBA history, which needless to say is a big %@#$% deal, particularly in the City of Angels where both stars have plied their trade. In a season that hasn’t been particularly kind to Los Angeles, who currently sit in twelfth place in the Western Conference, LeBron’s chase of Kareem has been a welcome subplot, with the former continuing to defy father time in this, his twentieth campaign in the league. On the season, James (pictured above) has shown very few signs of slowing down, averaging 30.1 points per game on 50.6% shooting from the field, along with 8.5 rebounds, 7.1 assists, and 1.0 steal, while posting a PER of 25.1. However, since turning thirty-eight years of age he has taken his play up another notch, posting 34.1 points per game on 51.9% shooting, along with 9.3 rebounds and 8.2 assists over a 15-game stretch in which he was surrounded by a largely motley crew of teammates; the likes of Davis and (young Guards) Lonnie Walker and Austin Reaves have missed all or most of that period, in which the Lakers have gone 10-4 with James in the lineup. Thankfully, Davis has returned to the rotation and picked up where he left off after his dominant stretch back in early December, averaging 23.8 points on 47.9% shooting along with 11.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 steal, and 1.5 blocks, with the team racking up three precious victories over the last five games. When we last saw (Head Coach) Darvin Ham’s troops, they followed a 129-123 overtime affair in New York with a narrow 112-111 triumph at Indiana two days later despite trailing 86-84 entering the fourth quarter. However, the final frame of play was a different story altogether as the visitors outscored the hosts 28-15, finishing the contest on a 14-5 run that featured none other than James and Davis playing the role of heroes. After the former took a 110-109 lead with a pair of free-throws with 1:09 remaining in the game, the Pacers retook the lead on the ensuing possession, only for the latter to take it right back with an 11-footer, leaving thirty-five seconds on the clock. As the home side made one last attempt to win it, Davis stonewalled Tyrese Haliburton at the rim, though there would be one more chance for Indy, who missed a midrange jumper as time expired. Simply put, Los Angeles had desperately missed Davis’s size and length on the defensive end of the hardwood and his presence was felt throughout a fourth quarter in which they relegated the Pacers to 6-of-22 shooting from the field (27.3%) and ZERO free-throws, as James led the way on the offensive end with nine points, three boards, and an assist. On the whole, the two all-stars combined for fifty-seven points on 24-of-46 shooting (52.1%), with twenty-one rebounds, nine assists, and a pair of blocks. (Polarizing Guard) Russell Westbrook, who has been the subject of intense trade talks for the bulk of the last nine months, posted ten points and ten assists off the bench, while (young Center) Thomas Bryant added another eleven points and six boards as a reserve. Looking to tonight’s matchup with the Pelicans, it’s ironic that the Lakers have once again become a major player in trade talks, for it was three years ago in which they pried Davis away from New Orleans for several players and a war chest of draft picks. Since that deal went down, Los Angeles has taken six of the last ten meetings, including their most recent encounter, a narrow 120-117 victory at Crypto.com Center back in early November. From a betting perspective, the Lakers have won and covered the spread in six of their last ten outings regardless of the venue, while covering the number in six of their last ten away from the City of Angels. Furthermore, being a small underdog on the road has been kind to Ham & Co of late, as they’ve covered five straight road games when getting 0.5-4.5 points by the oddsmakers, while also covering four in a row following a loss against the spread, which is the case tonight. On the injury front, the aforementioned Reaves is still out with a strained left hamstring, while Westbook was a late addition to the injury list due to an unspecified illness. This designation will no doubt raise some eyebrows as the erstwhile veteran has commonly been included in potential trade packages, with rumors that he could serve as a major piece of a multi-team deal including Irving. Ham and (General Manager) Rob Pelinka have been very patient in their wait for a star to become available and they could very well move for Irving this week given their previous pursuit of him in the summer. Of course, if the Lakers are going to bolster themselves, then they need to do it soon, for despite sitting at twelfth in the West, there are remarkably only THREE games separating them from fourth in the standings. Will a LeBron-Kyrie reunion be enough to vault Los Angeles into the realm of the legitimate contenders? We’ll have to wait and see if it comes to pass…
Meanwhile, sitting only one game ahead of their opponent in the standings are the Pelicans (26-27, 11th in Western Conference), who have been stuck in a freefall thanks in large part to injuries. Of course, New Orleans was a trendy pick to make a Grizzlies-esque leap this season following their eye-opening performance in last year’s playoffs when they very nearly upset the top-seeded Suns, and by and large, that optimism was warranted; (Head Coach) Willie Green’s troops started the campaign on an 18-8 run and were a stellar 23-12 before New Year’s Eve. However, since then they have dropped all but three of their last eighteen games, with their current losing streak now at TEN. So, what in the name of Baron Davis has happened in the Big Easy, you ask? Well, as stated in the opening, injuries have played a major role in the regression of this team with arguably their two most notable figures, (All-Star Swingman) Brandon Ingram and (former No. One Overall Pick) Zion Williamson missing a wealth of time due to respective injuries. On November 25th, the former missed nearly two months with a fractured toe, while the latter is once again on the proverbial shelf, missing the last sixteen outings with a strained right hamstring. It’s a troubling trend for Williamson, who after being selected first overall in the 2019 NBA Draft has been dogged by a variety of injuries, participating in just 114 games over the last three-and-a-half campaigns, missing all of last season rehabbing from offseason knee surgery. Still only 22-years old, the hope is that he will FINALLY manage to put these ailments behind him as they look to welcome him back to the rotation following the All-Star Break in two weeks. At 6′-6″, 284 pounds and supremely athletic, there isn’t a player quite like him in the NBA, with his presence sorely missed in transition and around the rim. Thankfully, Ingram (pictured above) has returned to the lineup, though over the last four games has been slow to regain the form that made him so impressive in last year’s postseason; the 25-year-old has averaged 19.3 points on a disappointing 35.1% shooting from the field, including a miserable 17.6% from beyond the arc, along with 6.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists over the course of four games. With that said, he did put up twenty-six points, nine rebounds, and seven assists while netting 10-of-20 field goal attempts in a narrow 111-106 loss at the Mavericks on Thursday night, which could be a sign of greater things to come. Eighteen of those points came in the second half as New Orleans rallied back from a huge 70-43 halftime deficit, drawing as close as three points following his 14-footer with ten seconds left to play. However, the visitors were forced to foul to stop the clock and the hosts proceeded to knock down their free-throws, ending the affair altogether. When it was all said and done, the Pelicans shot 50.0% from the field, but struggled mightily from downtown (5-of-20), while their seventeen turnovers, all of four of which coming in the first half, led to a wealth of easy buckets for the Mavs. Looking to tonight’s encounter with the Lakers, Ingram will be facing them for the ninth time, once again looking for payback against the franchise that traded him away in that aforementioned Davis deal after drafting him second overall in the 2016 NBA Draft. He spent the first three years of his career in Los Angeles, though never came close to reaching his lofty potential and after acquiring James in 2019, the team’s approach changed abruptly. In those nine reunions, the lithe wing has averaged 24.9 points on 45.8% shooting from the floor, along with 5.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists. When these teams met back in early November, Green’s charges saw a three-game winning streak in this series come to an end via that 120-117 defeat, in which Ingram was sidelined due to injury. Williamson did take part in that affair, leading the team with twenty-seven points, while (veteran Guard) C.J. McCollum nearly logged a triple-double with twenty-two points, nine rebounds, and eight assists. From a betting perspective, the Pelicans have covered the spread in just two games during this losing streak, though are a middling 5-5 against the number over their last ten games at Smoothie King Center. Furthermore, they’ve matched that record in their last ten games as a favorite, though have covered the spread in their last home games against the Lakers. On the injury front, they are likely to be without Willamson until after the All-Star Break, as the organization simply cannot afford to be reckless with the health of their crown jewel. However, with the looming trade deadline, it will be interesting to see if Green and (General Manager) David Griffin don’t try to bolster their ranks; like most teams, they could certainly use more shooting and given all of that draft capitol from the Davis deal, they have the assets to make things happen. Of course, last season they landed McCollum in a deal with the Trail Blazers, which had a profound impact on the team, propelling them to their first playoff appearance in four years. Rumors out of New Orleans have linked the Pels with Detroit’s (veteran sharpshooter) Bojan Bogdanovic, with the Pistons promptly asking for a first round pick for his services. The 33-year-old Bosnian is a career 39.5% shooter from beyond the arc, while possessing the requisite postseason experience that this young group could definitely use as they look to return to the playoffs.