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."
- Clippers F Kawhi Leonard (knee) out for Game 6 vs. Mavs
- Bucks' Damian Lillard upgraded to questionable for Game 6
- Bulls G Alex Caruso collects NBA's Hustle Award
- Sixers owners buy up tickets to block Knicks fans
- Wolves coach Chris Finch expected to be in Denver with team
- Kristaps Porzingis (calf) to miss rest of Heat series
- LeBron James Next Team Odds: Stephen Curry pairing in future?
- 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
Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton had 14 points in Thursday's loss to the Pacers. He added four boards, three assists, and two steals. While the veteran did all he could, his efforts weren't enough to lead Milwaukee to a win, eliminating the team from the playoffs. Middleton finished the regular season by averaging 15.1 points, 5.3 assists, and 4.7 rebounds. However, as usual, the 32-year-old was limited to 55 games due to injury. Middleton's play is never a concern. But his inability to stay healthy will negatively impact his fantasy stock heading into the 2024-25 campaign, no matter where he's playing.
Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (Achilles) was back in the lineup for Thursday's playoff meeting with Indiana after missing a few contests with an Achilles injury. He played well, scoring a game-high 28 points while shooting 7-for-16 from the field and 4-for-12 from deep. Unfortunately, Lillard's return didn't help, as the Pacers got the win to eliminate the Bucks from the postseason. Lillard has been one of the league's most potent scorers for years. However, the 33-year-old took a step backward in his first season with the Bucks, averaging 24.3 points, nearly eight fewer than he had in his final season in Portland. On a positive note, he logged 73 games during the regular season, his most since 2017-18. But it appears Lillard is starting to regress statistically, so his fantasy ranking for next season won't be as favorable.
Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (rib) is questionable for Friday's matchup with Orlando. The veteran is bothered by a right rib contusion, keeping him off the floor for Tuesday's win. He didn't practice on Thursday, although it appears he still has a chance to suit up for Game 6. However, if Allen misses another contest, Isaac Okoro will likely remain in the starting lineup. On the other hand, Marcus Morris Sr., coming off a 12-point effort in Game 5, would be the preferred DFS value option if Allen can't go.
Dallas Mavericks guard/forward Tim Hardaway Jr. (ankle) remains out for Friday's matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers. The sharpshooting veteran tweaked his right ankle in Game 2 of this series and hasn't been available since. Without him, Maxi Kleber and Josh Green have gotten more minutes, even though neither player has been able to take advantage of their extra time on the floor.
Los Angeles Clippers guard Terance Mann (leg) is questionable for Friday's postseason encounter with the Mavericks. As expected, Kawhi Leonard (knee) remains out, so the team needs Mann to help fill the void in the lineup. The 27-year-old has posted double-digit scoring performances three times during the series. However, Mann is not a consistent fantasy producer, although the upside is there for the DFS managers willing to take a risk, assuming he plays. If he doesn't, Norman Powell, Amir Coffey, and Russell Westbrook should absorb most of his minutes.
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (knee) won't play on Friday against the Mavericks. There isn't any new information concerning his ailment. However, the Clippers need to win the next two games to advance to the next round, although they will likely need to do it without Leonard in the lineup. As usual, Paul George and James Harden will do their best to lead the offense in Game 6. But Norman Powell, Russell Westbrook, and Terance Mann should continue to get more minutes and shot opportunities. With that said, nobody on the Clippers' roster has been consistent from a fantasy standpoint.
New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (ankle) will be available for Game 6 against Philadelphia on Thursday. He has missed one game in the series with an ankle injury, but Robinson has been upgraded from questionable to available ahead of the Game 6 tip-off. Robinson has an important role to play behind starting center Isaiah Hartenstein, as the Knicks' success depends a lot on how well they deal with Joel Embiid.
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) will be in the lineup for Thursday's Game 6 clash against the Knicks. He has been upgraded from questionable to available. Embiid has yet to miss any playoff action after returning from a left knee injury, and another big performance is expected from him in Thursday's elimination game. The 76ers superstar looked quite lethargic in Tuesday's survival battle but still produced a triple-double. He's averaging close to 32 points in the postseason with 10.4 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.6 blocks, and 1.2 steals.
Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton (back) will be good to go for Thursday's Game 6 against Milwaukee. An issue with his lower back has kept Haliburton on the injury report for the past few games, but the team has upgraded him from questionable to available ahead of Thursday's action. The young Pacers star will aim to produce a big finish to the series. Through five games, he's gotten to the 20-point mark only once, averaging 15.8 points in the first-round matchup with 5.8 rebounds and 9.2 assists.
Milwaukee Bucks point guard Patrick Beverley (oblique) has been upgraded from probable to available for Thursday's Game 6 against Indiana. Beverley is set to make up Milwaukee's starting backcourt with the returning Damian Lillard (Achilles). He will likely take a backseat offensively, but Beverley's tenacity on the defensive end is a big asset for the Bucks, and he should continue to get a healthy dose of action. Through the first five games in the series, Beverley has averaged 34.0 minutes a night, posting 8.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.2 steals.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton (ankle) has been officially cleared to play in Thursday's Game 6 against the Pacers. The team has upgraded him from probable to available. Middleton has been huge in the series for Milwaukee, but he will likely play a slightly lesser role offensively on Thursday as Damian Lillard (Achilles) returns to the lineup. With that said, the team needs another big performance from Middleton to survive in the series, with Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) still on the shelf.
Milwaukee Bucks forward/center Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) isn't ready to return to the lineup on Thursday against Indiana. He was considered a game-time call for the contest along with Damian Lillard (Achilles), but while Lillard will be back in action, Antetokounmpo is still left to wait for his chance to return. It won't come in the 2024 playoffs if Milwaukee loses on Thursday. Bobby Portis was one of the stars in Milwaukee's Game 5 victory, recording 29 points with 10 rebounds, and he's set for another start in Antetokounmpo's place on Thursday.
Milwaukee Bucks point guard Damian Lillard (Achilles) will play in Game 6 against Indiana on Thursday. Milwaukee gets its superstar guard back after Lillard sat out two games with an Achilles injury. He's set to play a huge role on Thursday as the Bucks try to fight off elimination once again. Lillard is averaging 32.3 points and 5.3 assists in the series, shooting 44.4 percent from outside.
Orlando Magic guard/forward Gary Harris (hamstring) is considered a game-time call for Friday's Game 6 against Cleveland. He suffered a right hamstring strain in Game 5, exiting the contest early. Harris has started all five games for the Magic in the playoffs, averaging 26.2 minutes. However, he hasn't been very productive, posting only 3.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.2 steals. Markelle Fultz and Cole Anthony could get more playing opportunities on Friday, but the two haven't made any noise in the playoffs and would be risky choices for DFS managers.
Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso was awarded the NBA's Hustle Award on Thursday afternoon. Always known for his effort and grit, the 30-year-old earned recognition for what he brings to the court consistently. For the season, Caruso averaged 10.1 points per game but made his biggest impact on the defensive end by averaging one block and 1.7 steals per game. He made the All-Defensive first team last season and now has been rewarded for his hustle in 2024. Finishing in second place in the voting was Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes, and Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski came in third place.
Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (ribs) did not participate in practice on Thursday as the team prepares for a pivotal Game 6 versus the Orlando Magic. The 26-year-old did not play in Game 5 and continues to suffer from a nagging rib injury. This is not encouraging news for the starting center, as Allen has been a difference-maker all season long. In this series, he has averaged 17 points over four contests while hauling in over 13 rebounds per game. The Cavaliers will attempt to close out the Magic on Friday, and if Allen can't recover in time, the team will likely rely on Marcus Morris Sr. and Tristan Thompson to take on more minutes in the frontcourt.
Milwaukee Bucks point guard Damian Lillard (Achilles) is considered questionable to play in Thursday's game versus the Indiana Pacers. The star guard was originally listed as doubtful to play on Wednesday's injury report, but the latest news is certainly an intriguing storyline. Lillard has not suited up since he hurt his right Achilles in Game 3 of the series. With the Bucks facing elimination, his return to the court would be a huge lift for Game 6 in Indiana. His status is worth monitoring as we get closer to tip-off on Thursday.
Boston Celtics power forward/center Al Horford replaced Kristaps Porzingis (calf) in the starting lineup for Wednesday's Game 5 win over the Miami Heat. The dominant team performance putting the game out of hand early limited Horford's time on the court to 22 minutes. Boston's 37-year-old veteran still delivered eight points, six rebounds, and three assists to help build the lead. Horford will continue to start in the next round with Porzingis missing several more games. The Celtics must rely on Horford and reserve Luke Kornet as their centers against a tougher Cleveland Cavaliers or Orlando Magic opponent.
Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday contributed 10 points, six rebounds, and five assists in the team's Game 5 win versus the Miami Heat. The five-time All-Defensive Team guard closed a quiet offensive series by shooting 3-for-5 from the field on Wednesday. Holiday helped keep the opposing guards in check with his stellar defense, but he only averaged 7.8 points on eight shot attempts per game in the series. Derrick White becoming a bigger offensive force in the backcourt limits Holiday's fantasy ceiling. However, Kristaps Porzingis (calf) missing several more games in the next round could be a fantasy boost to improve Holiday's points and rebounds in a more challenging series.
Boston Celtics guard Derrick White had a great game with 25 points, five rebounds, and two assists in Game 5's win over the Miami Heat. The 29-year-old tied Jaylen Brown for the most points scored as Boston dominated the game from start to finish. White has stepped up the whole series by averaging 22.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in the five games. The Celtics treat White as their third offensive option behind Jayson Tatum and Brown in most games without Kristaps Porzingis. White's stock continuing to rise, and he'll be a strong fantasy option in the next round due to Porzingis (calf) missing more games.