Los Angeles Lakers at Indiana Pacers | 2019-02-05 | NBA Basketball | Betting Pick by FirstDown

NBA Basketball

2019-02-05 - Los Angeles Lakers at Indiana Pacers

A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown

Los Angeles Lakers @ Indiana Pacers
United States: NBA Basketball
Tuesday 5th February 2019 - Tip Off 7pm
British Time: Midnight

Preview

The trade deadline is approaching in a couple of days time in the NBA and it seems the Los Angeles Lakers (27-26) are now making a big play to try and land Anthony Davis from the New Orleans Pelicans before the close of the market. It has long been rumoured that Davis would sign with the Lakers at the end of his contract with the Pelicans in the summer of 2020, but it seems the player and the Lakers want to push that forward now.

They won't be able to pick Davis up easily as one of the top talents in the NBA, and that means the Lakers have offered up a huge package for the All-Star. It includes the majority of the young players on the roster which were supposed to push the Lakers forward, but LeBron James arrived last summer and he is a player that hasn't shown a lot of patience to see teams develop but would much rather win now.

The same happened with the Cleveland Cavaliers when James returned home so no one associated with the Lakers is going to be surprised that the best player in the League has asked the team to do whatever it takes to land Davis now. Waiting until the summer may give other teams the chance to put strong packages together to take Davis away and he has shown a willingness to be traded to teams other than the Lakers and that may be pushing Magic Johnson into offering such a huge package now.

It can't be easy for the players to be so unsure about what the future holds for them and yet the Lakers have to keep playing their schedule. They are on the road for a few days as we approach the All-Star Break and the Lakers are currently 1.5 games out of the Play Off places in the Western Conference after losing James for a long stretch and struggling since Christmas Day.

Injuries have also been a real blow for the Indiana Pacers (34-19) who have begun to slide since Victor Oladipo was ruled out for the season. That clearly affected the players, but they have stalled the slide with back to back wins although earning a home Series in the First Round of the Play Offs looks like it will be beyond them.

This is a difficult schedule spot for the Pacers who play for the third time in four days and are on a back to back having held off the New Orleans Pelicans on the road on Monday evening. It means the Pacers have had to travel home on Monday evening where the Lakers have been waiting for them and it may be tough to pick up from where they left off.

With LeBron James back, the Lakers should be able to have the better play against the Pacers on both sides of the court with a stronger Defensive effort the key to winning this one. Without Oladipo the Pacers Offensive unit can just stagnate at times and it should give Los Angeles the chance to make some big stops while having enough at the other end of the court to break down the Pacers.

I would expect the Lakers to win the battle on the boards and the Lakers have covered the spread in their last four road games against a team with a winning record at home. They are also 8-3 against the spread in their last eleven games after a straight up loss, while the Indiana Pacers are 1-5 against the spread in their last six when playing a team with a record above 0.500.

Los Angeles are 6-1-1 against the spread in the last eight of the series between these teams and that includes beating them at the end of November. Even with trade rumours circling their players, I think James can inspire the Lakers to a win which keeps them in the Play Off hunt in the Western Conference.

Keep your eyes on the news though- this is not a game to play if the trade for Anthony Davis breaks today because the Lakers will be short-handed and likely made into the underdog.

However I don't think any trade will be finalised that quickly and the Pelicans likely play the long game until the trade deadline on Thursday at least and so I will look for the Lakers to see their young players produce a big effort in what could be the last time many of them play in the famous yellow shirt.