The Indiana Pacers host the Los Angeles Lakers at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Wednesday, March 25, at 7:00 p.m. ET.
The Pacers are 16-56 and 15th in the East with a 10-25 home record, while the Lakers are 46-26 and third in the West with a 23-14 road record.
The Pacers are coming off a surprising 128-116 win over the Orlando Magic on Monday, while the Lakers saw their nine-game win streak snapped by the Detroit Pistons in a 113-110 loss on Monday. The last meeting between these teams came earlier this month on March 6, 2026, with the Lakers picking up a 128-117 win. This game will be the final encounter of this inter-conference matchup this season.
The Pacers are led by Pascal Siakam, who’s averaging 24.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.8 assists this season as a No. 1 option in Tyrese Haliburton’s absence. Alongside Siakam, the Pacers have Andrew Nembhard, who’s averaging 17.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 7.4 assists this season. Both stars have missed time as the Pacers have received fines for resting players to further their tanking effort.
The Lakers are led by MVP candidate Luka Doncic, averaging 33.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 8.4 assists. He’s making a real push for MVP and could secure it if the Lakers end the season strong. Austin Reaves is officially the team’s second option and has averaged 23.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists this season.
The Lakers will hope to return to winning ways with an easy win over the worst team in the East. But there are no easy games when you’re the Lakers. The Pacers will do their best to spring an upset, as they did against the competitive Magic in their last outing.
Injury Report
Pacers
Pascal Siakam: Probable (knee)
Andrew Nembhard: Probable (calf)
Obi Toppin: Probable (Foot)
Aaron Nesmith: Probable (ankle)
Ivica Zubac:
Johnny Furphy: Out (knee)
Tyrese Haliburton: Out (Achilles)
Lakers
Rui Hachimura: Questionable (knee)
Adou Thiero Questionable (knee)
Marcus Smart: Doubtful (ankle)
Why The Pacers Have The Advantage
The Pacers could have an advantage depending on how many players they make available for this clash. They could have a majority of last year’s Finals rotation minus Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin playing against the Lakers. Given the probable status of core rotation players such as Siakam, Nesmith, Toppin, and Nembhard, it seems likely they’ll take the floor against the Lakers. Another win won’t be a big blow to their lottery positioning, and putting your best foot forward when the eyes the Lakers bring on you is not new to the NBA at all.
The Pacers might have all the players necessary to deploy one of their best lineups of the season, including Nembhard, Nesmith, Jarace Walker, Siakam, and Jay Huff, which has a +6.5 net rating in over 141 possessions this season. Multiple other productive players on the Pacers roster could burst out to have a big night, including the likes of Ben Sheppard, T.J. McConnell, and Quenton Jackson.
In terms of conventional advantages, the Pacers can rely only on their rebounding, where they have a slight edge over the Lakers on the season. The Pacers’ 41.8 rebounds per game this season is the fourth-worst in the league, but it’s better than the third-worst Lakers with 40.9 rebounds per game. The Pacers do attempt more three-pointers as well, with 37.2 per game on 35.1% efficiency, which is slightly more prolific than the Lakers.
Why The Lakers Have The Advantage
The Lakers have proven over March that they’re one of the best teams in the NBA if their roster is healthy. They head into this game with some potential question marks over key rotation players, but that shouldn’t take away from the fact that they’re better than the Pacers as a team across almost every measurable metric.
The Lakers have a 117.0 offensive rating and a 115.8 defensive rating for a +1.2 net rating on the season, much better than the Pacers’ -8.7 net rating. In addition, the Lakers score more (116.4 PPG), create more steals (8.3 SPG), and commit fewer turnovers as a whole (14.4 TOVPG). This is also not factoring in the advantage that the big three of Doncic, Reaves, and LeBron James provide the Lakers against an outmatched Pacers squad.
The Lakers lead the NBA in field-goal percentage at 49.9 FG%, highlighting their ability to maximize the opportunities they create. They’re No. 2 when it comes to generating free throws with their dynamic backcourt leading the way (26.6 FTA). They’re also relatively unpredictable offensively with a 99.2 pace (22nd in the NBA), which shows they can excel playing fast or playing as slow as Doncic might want to with the ball in his hands.
The fire they had from their nine-game win streak isn’t gone yet. They’ve had a 122.5 offensive rating and a 114.9 defensive rating over the last 10 games, while Doncic has led them by averaging 39.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 7.3 assists in that stretch. The low-ranking Pacers should be the perfect opponent to help them get their momentum back.
X-Factors
Jarace Walker has had some bright spots for the Pacers this season, with the 2023 lottery pick averaging d 11.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.4 assists this season. His positional versatility has allowed him to become ever-present on the court while the Pacers keep seeing stars go in and out of the rotation. He’s a two-way athlete who the Lakers might struggle to guard, given their deficiencies as a defensive unit in the frontcourt.
Jay Huff isn’t a stat-stuffer but has been a calming presence as the Pacers center all season. The former Laker is averaging 9.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks this season, solidifying his spot in the NBA with a great season as the Pacers stand-in center after Myles Turner’s summer departure and Ivica Zubac’s absence since joining the team via trade. He can protect the rim, play physical, and stretch the floor. That’s basically a nightmare for this Lakers defensive unit if Huff catches fire.
LeBron James is truly an x-factor now, embracing his role as a third option. He’s averaging 21.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 6.9 assists this season and is coming off a slow start against the Pistons, where he went scoreless in the first half. He’ll look to get going early and ensure the Lakers don’t have to fight back to win or be in a close fight as this East road trip continues for the franchise.
Luke Kennard isn’t going to put up big numbers, but he’s been a crucial member of the Lakers’ rotation since joining. He’s averaged 8.5 points on 55.1 shooting from the field and 44.3% shooting from three in 22 games, creating a lot more space on the court on offense. His elite shooting ability makes teams guard him aggressively, opening the court up for the likes of Doncic, Reaves, and James to break down defenses with their on and off-ball movement. Given Kennard also just scored a game-winner against the Magic, the Pacers will be hoping to keep his production contained.
Prediction
The Lakers should emerge out of this game with the win, but it’s not going to be easy. If the Pacers play their best players and only rest the ones who’ve already been ruled out, they have a competitive lineup to field. If they’re motivated, they could stun a hot Lakers team that can’t afford to get off to a slow start against these opponents. However, given the on-court urgency JJ Redick’s lineups have shown over the last 10 games, we think the Lakers will create just enough distance to keep the Pacers at bay in this game.
Prediction: Pacers 118, Lakers 123
