We have just one game on the NBA schedule for the entire weekend, as all eyes will be on T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for the In-Season Tournament Championship Game between the Indiana Pacers and the Los Angeles Lakers. Let’s get started!
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Saturday’s Best NBA Bets
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Indiana Pacers vs. Los Angeles Lakers
We get an interesting matchup in Vegas for the first-ever In-Season Tournament title game, which tips off at 8:30 p.m. ET and can be viewed on ABC and ESPN2.
The Pacers picked up an impressive 128-119 win at this same venue on Thursday, upending the Milwaukee Bucks to win outright as a 5.5-point underdog. The Under (257.5) was never in question, as the Pacers played pretty good defense against Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the Bucks.
Indiana’s Myles Turner was electric against the Bucks, going for 26 points and 10 rebounds, while Tyrese Haliburton also chipped in with a double-double, dropping 27 points to go along with 15 assists. The Pacers shot 50-of-102 (49%) from the field while managing to knock down 21-of-25 (84%) from the free-throw line with just nine total turnovers. It was a plus-5 in the rebounding department, too.
The Lakers absolutely rolled the New Orleans Pelicans in the other semifinal game, pounding New Orleans 133-89 to easily cash as 2-point favorites as the Under (229) cashed as well. We saw the Under hit in each of the IST semis, and that’s what we’re expecting again on Saturday night on The Strip.
Los Angeles shot 55% (47-of-86) from the field while hitting an incredible 49% (17-of-35) from behind the 3-point line. The Lakers posted 59 rebounds, to just 42 for the Pels, and that helped L.A. immensely despite the fact it was actually sloppy with 14 turnovers.
Anthony Davis hurt his old team with 16 points, 15 rebounds, and two blocked shots, while LeBron James pumped in 30 points to go along with eight dimes and five boards. Six players went for 12 or more points, as the Lakers were just a single point shy of tying their season-best for points in a single game.
Los Angeles has won three in a row, while also covering three in a row, and posting the Under in three straight outings, too. Indiana has cashed in three straight, while the Under is 2-1 in those outings. I trust the Lakers’ defense much more than I trust the Pacers, and that will be the difference.
The Pacers are 2-1 SU/ATS in three games against Western Conference teams this season, while the Lakers are 3-1 ATS in the past four meetings against Eastern Conference opponents.
Bets: Lakers -4.5 (-112) and Under 240.5 (-110)
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