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Game Preview: Pacers vs Lakers

Last Updated: Feb. 8 at 12:00 PM

Editor's Note: The Delaware St. entrance to the Virginia Ave. Parking Garage will no longer be in operation due to the construction of the St. Vincent Center. To enter the Virginia Ave. Parking Garage, please use to the entrance located at the intersection of E Maryland St. and S Alabama St. You will, however, still be able to exit the parking garage using the single-lane Delaware St. exit ramp.

Matchup

The Los Angeles Lakers own the worst record in the Western Conference at 11-42, but their visit to Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Monday is nonetheless one of the most anticipated Pacers home games all season.

Kobe Bryant will visit Indiana for one last time as a player on Monday night. The NBA's third all-time leading scorer, Bryant announced before the Pacers' game in L.A. on Nov. 29 that this season — his 20th — would be his last.

Since that announcement, tickets for all of the Lakers' remaining road games have become one of the league's hottest commodities. Indianapolis is no exception, as a capacity crowd is expected for Bryant's final game at The Fieldhouse.

The five-time NBA champion has been a shadow of his former self this season, as age and injuries have robbed him of his MVP form. Still, he's put together a few vintage performances in the past week, going for 38 points in a win over Minnesota last Tuesday and tallying 27 points and 12 rebounds two days later in a victory in New Orleans.

Bryant's retirement has relegated the return of Roy Hibbert to being a secondary storyline, but Monday will also mark the Big Dawg's first game back in old haunt since being traded to the Lakers last July. The 17th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, the 7-2 Hibbert blossomed into one of the league's interior defenders under head coach Frank Vogel, made two All-Star teams in seven seasons with the Pacers, and helped lead Indiana to two Eastern Conference Finals.

Though the team opted to go in a different direction over the summer, Hibbert's contributions to the franchise should (hopefully) earn him a nice ovation from Monday night's crowd.

As for the Pacers (27-24), Monday's game is simply another building block for the Blue & Gold heading into the All-Star break. After a win over the Pistons on Saturday, the Pacers have two more winnable games before the break. As long as they don't get caught up in the hoopla surrounding Bryant's last visit and Hibbert's return, they have more than enough firepower to take care of business on Monday night.

Projected Starters

George Hill

George Hill

Monta Ellis

Monta Ellis

Paul George

Paul George

Myles Turner

Myles Turner

Ian Mahinmi

Ian Mahinmi

Lou Williams

Lou Williams

Jordan Clarkson

Jordan Clarkson

Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant

Julius Randle

Julius Randle

Roy Hibbert

Roy Hibbert

Pacers: PG - George Hill, SG - Monta Ellis, SF - Paul George, PF - Myles Turner, C - Ian Mahinmi
Lakers: PG - Lou Williams, SG - Jordan Clarkson, SF - Kobe Bryant, PF - Julius Randle, C - Roy Hibbert

Injury Report

Pacers: Rodney Stuckey - out (right foot sprain and bone bruise)

Lakers: Kobe Bryant - questionable (sore right shoulder), Roy Hibbert - questionable (sprained left ankle), Julius Randle - probable (sprained left ankle), Larry Nance Jr. - out (sore right knee)

Last Meeting

November 29, 2015: Paul George scored 39 points, including the Pacers' final 12 points over the last 1:57, to help the Blue & Gold seal their fifth straight victory, a 107-103 win in Los Angeles.

Monta Ellis added 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting and dished out six assists in the victory. George Hill and Rodney Stuckey were the only other Pacers players to score in double figures, each finishing with 11 points.

Jordan Clarkson led the Lakers' offensive attack, finishing with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists. Young added 22 points off the bench.

Bryant, who announced his intentions to retire at the end of the season just hours before the game, struggled mightily with his shot despite a couple late 3-pointers. The former MVP had 13 points, four rebounds, and three assists while going just 4-for-20 from the field.

Noteworthy

  • The Pacers are just 26-57 against the Lakers all-time, including a 17-23 record at home.
  • Indiana has won two straight games over the Lakers at The Fieldhouse after dropping three in a row from 2010-13.
  • Pacers forward C.J. Miles reached 6,000 points for his career in Saturday's win over the Pistons.
  • Bryant holds the NBA record for most seasons played with a single organization (20).

Broadcast Information TV & Radio Listings »

TV: FOX Sports Indiana - Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter/host)
Radio: 93.5 FM/AM 1070 The Fan - Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Slick Leonard (analyst), Pat Boylan (sideline reporter/host)
Please Note: Inside Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Pacers radio broadcasts can be heard on 1080 AM instead of 1070.

Tickets

Tickets for Monday's game against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers are very limited, but there are still ways to secure your seats for Kobe's final game against the Pacers. Find Tickets »

Home Court Gift Shop Game Night Special

Select Pacers Knit Hats - $10. Game Night Specials can be purchased in the Home Court Gift Shop or any of our souvenir stands located on all levels of Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The special is also available online at PacersGear.com until midnight.