Lakers (9-10) vs. Pacers (8-11)
Date: Wednesday, November 24
Time: 7 PM ET
Venue: Gainbridge Fieldhouse
TV Coverage: NBA League Pass
Moneyline: Lakers +168 | Pacers -200
Spread: Lakers -5.0
Total: 217.5
Odds to Win NBA Championship: Lakers +1000 | Pacers +13000
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Did Rick Carlisle light a fire under the Pacers? It’s definitely possible. One of the big reasons the Pacers were expected to take a step forward was the leadership that Carlisle would bring to the team this season.
He made an example by benching the Pacers’ starters, and he demanded that the team play with more effort and heart moving forward. The team has responded well to that benching, winning each of their past two games. That includes a comfortable 32-point victory over the Bulls, who have been one of the best teams in basketball to start the year.
They’ve gotten much better performances from Domantas Sabonis. He hasn’t needed to do much in their past two games â he’s played 21.9 and 26.3 minutes â but he’s played arguably his two best games of the year. The Pacers have outscored their opponents by at least 19 points with Sabonis on the court in each of his past two games.
Additionally, the Pacers enter this contest in much better health than the Lakers. LeBron James is questionable with an abdominal injury, which is the same injury that caused him to miss more than two weeks earlier this year. However, he was able to suit up in his two previous games before getting suspended.
Anthony Davis is also questionable with a non-COVID-related illness. He was able to play through the illness on Tuesday, but he ultimately struggled in a six-point loss to the Knicks.
The Lakers can’t seem to get on track this season. Having LeBron and Davis in the lineup would help, but they haven’t played all that well even when at full strength. Now, they have to take on a Pacers’ squad that seems to be finding its identity. Talent has never been the issue for the Pacers, so they could be dangerous if Carlisle has motivated them.
Our Model gives the Pacers a greater than 78.5% chance of winning this matchup, and it pegs the average margin of victory at 9.2 points. That makes the Pacers an excellent value on Wednesday’s slate.
SG Betting Model Win Probability: Lakers 21.48% | Pacers 78.52%
SG Betting Model ML Star Rating: Pacers â 5 stars
SG Betting Model Spread Star Rating: Pacers â 4 stars
SG Betting Model Total Star Rating: Over â 2 stars
Check Out the SportsGrid Betting Model For Live Odds and Predictions on Updated Odds
Note: The SportsGrid betting model changes throughout the day to adjust for player news and injuries. Be sure to check out the updated model projections as the information continues to break, leading up to game time.