NBA Play-In: Lakers-Pelicans Preview, Props & Prediction
Tue Apr 16 2:56pm ET
Field Level Media
The NBA playoffs officially tip off with Tuesday night's play-in game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the New Orleans Pelicans, who will play host to the one-and-done series two nights after getting thumped at home by the very same opponent.
The Lakers (47-35) enter as the No. 8 seed, and didn't even leave town after Sunday's 124-108 win over the Pelicans (49-33), who had to settle for the No. 7 seed. Tuesday's winner will advance to play the second-seeded Denver Nuggets in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
TRENDING
The Pelicans are consensus 1.5-point favorites despite trailing by as many as 32 points on Sunday in a game that had potential for New Orleans to claim the No. 6 seed and avoid this rematch. It was actually the closest of the four meetings between the teams this season, three of which were won by the Lakers.
New Orleans has home-court advantage, or does it? The Pelicans have dropped their past five home games and haven't won at the Smoothie King Center since March 28.
Los Angeles has predictably drawn 71 percent of the spread-line bets and 60 percent of the money at BetMGM, where the Lakers' +100 moneyline has also been backed by 76 percent of the money. The same spread at BetRivers has seen the Lakers supported by a smaller majority with 57 percent of the bets and 55 percent of the money.
Prediction: LeBron James has owned Zion Williamson in their head-to-head matchups, and the veteran Lakers are poised to handle the Pelicans for a fourth time in five tries this season. --Lakers 118, Pelicans 110
PROP PICK
LeBron James Over 26.5 Points (-115 at BetMGM): James averaged 25.7 points during the regular season, which he capped by averaging 32.7 points over the past three games. That included 28 points in 38 minutes on Sunday. James scored just 21 in a Feb. 9 home win over the Pelicans, but he did tally 35 in a New Year's Eve win in New Orleans and had 30 in an in-season tournament win over the Pelicans earlier that month.
THE NEWS
James isn't feeling comfortable about the repeat matchup even though his squad just steamrolled the Pelicans on the latter's home floor.
"Tuesday's game is going to be extremely hard, extremely difficult, extremely physical," James said. "I've always known that, when you play a playoff series -- and I look at this like a two-game playoff series -- if you win that first game, a team has multiple days to kind of sit on that feeling, or sit with that taste in their mouth of defeat.
"So they're going to be extremely ready for us and we have to come in with the same sense of urgency that we had the previous game."
Pelicans coach Willie Green certainly isn't going to forget the bitter taste between now and tipoff.
"We have to come back with the right mentality," Green said. "They were the aggressors. We have to be the aggressive team. We have to be the more physical team. We have to keep them out of our paint and make them take contested shots and rebound the ball.
"They played with a ton of force. They came out right away. At least for the first half, they punched us right in the mouth and kept going."
James recorded 28 points, a season-best 17 assists, 11 rebounds and five steals during the easy win. Anthony Davis had 30 points on 13-of-17 shooting and collected 11 rebounds before leaving with back spasms just past the midway point of the final quarter.
Williamson had just 12 points on 4-of-13 shooting while often being guarded by James, and New Orleans gave up 70 first-half points after returning home from a 4-0 road trip.
INJURY REPORT
Listed as questionable, Davis maintained there was no way he would sit out against the Pelicans, the team with which he spent the first seven seasons of his NBA career.
"No doubt that I'm going to play," Davis said. "Get some treatment, keep it loose, just see how I feel over the next 24-36 hours."
New Orleans forward Brandon Ingram (left knee) returned from a 12-game absence to score 13 points in 23 minutes Sunday. Ingram figures to be available for more minutes on Tuesday.
KEY STAT
CJ McCollum has been a standout this month for the Pelicans and he scored 25 points on Sunday for his seventh straight game of 25 or more points.
McCollum had topped 30 four times during the stretch and is 42 of 80 (52.5) from 3-point range during the seven-game hot streak.
"We will be better in the next game. It was a good road trip. We got four wins on the road," he said. "Now we have to take care of business on home court."
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- Bucks' Doc Rivers: Giannis, Dame 'very, very, very close' to return
- Minnesota's Mike Conley wins 2nd Teammate of Year award
- NBA roundup: 76ers fend off Knicks in OT, keep season alive
- Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard out for Game 5
- Celtics F Kristaps Porzingis (calf) ruled out of Game 5
- Knicks F Bojan Bogdanovic out for remainder of playoffs
- Hobbled Heat rule out rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. for Game 5
- Clippers' Kawhi Leonard ruled out for Game 5 vs. Mavericks
- Pelicans VP laments Zion injury timing, vows 'urgency' in offseason
- Celtics' Brad Stevens named NBA Executive of the Year
- Bronny James, Zach Edey among 195 early NBA draft entrees
- 76ers' Joel Embiid, Kelly Oubre Jr. miss shootaround ahead of Game 5
- Darvin Ham, Lakers expected to part ways
- Post-op could mean Wolves' coach out for Game 1
- LeBron James undecided on future after Lakers' ouster
- NBA roundup: Jamal Murray, Nuggets KO Lakers
- Celtics C Kristaps Porzingis exits Game 4 with calf injury
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum delivered 16 points, 12 rebounds, and three assists in the team's Game 5 series-clinching win over the Miami Heat. Tatum did not have to showcase his usual scoring excellence with the game out of hand early, but he still produced a double-double in just 32 minutes. The 26-year-old averaged 39.5 minutes per game in the series before tonight's game to show that the blowout impacted his fantasy output and time on the court. Kristaps Porzingis (calf) missing more games could mean more fantasy production from Tatum in the next round.
Boston Celtics forward/guard Jaylen Brown scored 25 points in the team's Game 5 victory over the Miami Heat. Brown had his third game of the series with at least 20 points to help the Celtics advance to the next round. Boston had a relatively easy night on the job by taking control early and never letting up. The 27-year-old contributed to this dominant outing by shooting 11-for-19 from the field to lead the way. He also added five rebounds and two assists. Boston will see Brown having a higher ceiling in the second round, with starter Kristaps Porzingis (calf) expected to miss several more games.
Miami Heat forward Nikola Jovic had eight points, seven boards, and four assists in Wednesday's meeting with the Celtics. Unfortunately, his efforts weren't enough, as Boston closed out the series in five games. At any rate, the 2022 No. 27 overall pick picked things up toward the end of the 2023-24 campaign. He ended the year by averaging 12.0 points and 4.6 rebounds in eight games in April. It appears Erik Spoelstra could give Jovic regular playing time next season, assuming he remains in Miami. However, the 20-year-old has a way to go before earning the trust of fantasy managers.
Miami Heat guard/forward Duncan Robinson (back) finished with just two points in Wednesday's loss to Boston. Robinson admittedly wasn't healthy for this series. On a positive note, he finished the regular season by averaging 12.9 points, a significant upgrade from the 2022-23 campaign. Unfortunately, the 30-year-old has had issues staying healthy over the last few seasons, which is something for fantasy managers to consider moving ahead. There's also a chance Robinson won't be in Miami next season, considering the Heat have been trying to move him for years. Yet, a change of scenery could do him good, especially if he gets more minutes elsewhere.
Miami Heat forward Caleb Martin finished with 10 points in Wednesday's loss to the Boston Celtics. He added four boards and one assist. The 28-year-old was one of Miami's top rotational pieces during the regular season. He averaged a career-high 10 points. Unfortunately, he was limited to 64 games due to injury. That's been the theme for Martin throughout his career. He also isn't a consistent fantasy producer. Assuming he remains in Miami, he may battle for minutes with Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Nikola Jovic throughout the 2024-25 campaign. Martin's injury woes over the years are another reason fantasy managers may look the other way.
Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro struggled in Wednesday's loss to the Boston Celtics. While he had 15 points, he shot a rough 6-for-19 from the field and 1-for-8 from downtown. With Miami's year finished, Herro will get some much-needed rest. He ended the regular season by averaging a career-high 20.8 points with 5.3 boards and 4.5 assists. Unfortunately, he was limited to only 42 games because of various ailments. Without question, the 24-year-old can be a potent fantasy performer. However, his inability to remain on the court will significantly lower his fantasy value heading into the 2024-25 campaign. The Heat might also make some roster moves during the offseason, so Herro's name will likely be mentioned in several trade scenarios.
Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo had a team-high 23 points in Wednesday's loss to Boston. He added six assists, five rebounds, and two blocks. Although Miami's year is finished, Adebayo can hold his head high. While he regressed slightly in some statistical categories during the regular season, he improved in others, especially with his career-high 35.7% shooting from behind the arc. The Heat will need to make adjustments to the roster this offseason if the club hopes to make another deep postseason run. Yet, Adebayo will remain one of the team's top producers on both ends of the floor regardless of any potential changes, so he'll likely be a top-30 fantasy option heading into the 2024-25 campaign.
Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic (knee) has been officially upgraded from probable to available for Wednesday's Game 5 against the Clippers. The Slovenian superstar said Wednesday morning that his right knee is "not good," and he has also been dealing with an illness lately, but Doncic is ready to play through pain. Despite battling health issues, Doncic has averaged a massive 43.3 minutes in the 2024 playoffs and should be heavily involved again as Dallas attempts to grab a 3-2 series lead in Los Angeles.
Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton (back) remains on the injury report ahead of Game 6 against Milwaukee on Thursday. He's been battling back spasms lately, but the Pacers have kept him in the lineup. It's been an up-and-down series for Haliburton, who is averaging 15.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 9.2 assists. After posting a double-double and a triple-double in back-to-back games, the Pacers point guard has been limited to only 10 assists across the last two contests.
Milwaukee Bucks point guard Patrick Beverley (oblique) will likely continue to play through injury on Thursday against Indiana. He's listed as probable with an oblique strain for Game 6 of the first-round series. Beverley has just had his strongest outing of the matchup, leading by example at both ends of the floor in Tuesday's 115-92 win. He recorded 13 points with 12 assists, four rebounds, one block, and two steals.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton (ankle) is considered probable for Thursday's Game 6 against Indiana. Middleton has been playing through an ankle injury in the series and is expected to do so again. Despite tweaking his right ankle in Game 2 and missing some practice time, Middleton has put together a three-game double-double streak. He's averaged 32.0 points and 10.7 rebounds during the stretch.
Milwaukee Bucks point guard Damian Lillard (Achilles) will likely remain out for Game 6 against the Pacers on Thursday. He's again listed on the injury report as doubtful. Malik Beasley has started back-to-back games with Lillard unavailable. The former Laker has gone for 38 points across the two games with very impressive 8-for-13 shooting from three-point range. Patrick Beverley is also counted on a lot more offensively. He recorded a nice 13-point, 12-assist double-double in Tuesday's Game 5 win.
Milwaukee Bucks forward/center Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) continues to carry a doubtful designation on the injury report ahead of Thursday's Game 6 against Indiana. After the Bucks extended the first-round series with a 115-92 win on Tuesday, head coach Doc Rivers said Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard (Achilles) are "very, very, very close" to returning, but the doubtful tag indicates that Thursday's game will come too soon for them. Bobby Portis will be counted on to start instead of Antetokounmpo again. He's had a very good series with four double-doubles in five games.
New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (ankle) has been listed as questionable on the injury report for Thursday's Game 6 against Philadelphia. The seven-footer was back in action in Game 5 on Tuesday after sitting out one contest. Robinson produced an impressive defensive display across 25 minutes with two blocks and three steals. He also had seven rebounds while settling for two points. If he's deemed good to go, Robinson will continue to split minutes with Isaiah Hartenstein, who went for six points, seven rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block in Game 5.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley has been awarded the NBA's 2023-24 Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year. This is the second time he has earned this honor in his career, as he was given the award during the 2018-2019 season as well. In the voting, the 36-year-old finished ahead of Brooklyn Nets forward Mikal Bridges and New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson. Conley's efforts helped Minnesota earn the third seed in the Western Conference this year. He will try to propel the Timberwolves to a deep playoff run as they prepare for a highly anticipated second-round matchup with the Denver Nuggets.
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) is considered questionable for Thursday's game versus the New York Knicks because of a left-knee injury. This injury designation has become the norm for the superstar big man, but he has not missed a single game in this series. The 76ers have a ton of momentum heading into Game 6 after their thrilling victory on Tuesday, however, they still face elimination and will need Embiid to be at his best to keep their season alive again. Despite his field-goal percentage being lower by more than 9% compared to the regular season, he has still posted dominant numbers during this postseason, with averages of 31.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game. The official word on his playing status will come on Thursday.
Miami Heat guard Duncan Robinson (back) will play in Wednesday's contest against the Boston Celtics. The sharpshooter has continued to play through a back injury, and Miami will need everyone to step up as they face elimination in Game 5. Robinson has not made much of an impact in this series, playing less than 10 minutes in both of the previous two games. However, the Heat continue to struggle with injuries, as Jimmy Butler (knee), Terry Rozier (neck), and Jaime Jaquez Jr. (hip) are all unavailable to play, which could lead to a bigger role for Robinson.
Miami Heat forward Haywood Highsmith (foot) will suit up for Wednesday's game versus the Boston Celtics. The 27-year-old is listed on the injury report because of plantar fasciitis in his right foot, however, he will be able to play through the ailment as Miami hopes to keep their season alive in Game 5. The Heat are facing elimination against a talented Celtics team, and it is likely Highsmith will play a larger role since Miami is missing key players such as Jimmy Butler (knee), Terry Rozier (neck), and Jaime Jaquez Jr. (hip). Highsmith could be a sneaky play for DFS managers for Wednesday's game, as he has seen at least 19 minutes in every matchup of this series.
Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton had a rough outing in Game 5 against Milwaukee on Tuesday, finishing a 115-92 loss with 16 points, four rebounds, and six assists. Haliburton turned in a below-par line despite a hot start that saw him hit two treys inside the first four minutes. He ended up going 4-for-10 from downtown with a 6-for-14 overall effort from the field. Pascal Siakam was limited to 12 points, and the Pacers definitely need more from their leaders to wrap up the series in Game 6 on Thursday.
Milwaukee Bucks forward/center Bobby Portis was back to his best against Indiana on Tuesday, helping the team extend the series in Game 5 with a 29-point, 10-rebound double-double. He shot 14-for-24 from the field and had one assist and one steal as well. This was an impressive bounce-back performance from Portis after he was limited to only four points and three rebounds in Game 4 due to an early ejection. Filling in for Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) in the first unit, Portis has done a great job, averaging 15.8 points and 10.6 rebounds in the series. He should remain a double-double threat even if Antetokounmpo is cleared for action and Portis heads back to the bench.