LA Lakers vs New Orleans Pelicans Prediction & Match Preview - May 16th, 2021 | NBA Season 2020-21
The LA Lakers will face the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center on Sunday.
The Lakers must win the game to finish the season in sixth place. They will also be counting on the Portland Trail Blazers to lose their final match against the Denver Nuggets.
The Pelicans, on the other hand, will be playing for pride as they have missed out on playoff action following their three-game losing streak.
Match Details
Fixture: LA Lakers vs New Orleans Pelicans | NBA Season 2020-21.
Date & Time: Sunday, May 16th; 9:00 PM ET (Monday, 6:30 AM IST).
Venue: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, Louisiana.
LA Lakers preview
The LA Lakers have put together an impressive run to close out the season, winning their last four games in a bid to secure a direct playoff qualification.
Even though it is up to the Lakers to win their last game for a chance at finishing 6th, they will also hope for a Portland Trail Blazers loss in their final game of the season. If it comes down to a tiebreaker, the Trail Blazers will remain sixth as the head-to-head record favors them 2-1.
The LA Lakers have been resilient despite losing Anthony Davis and LeBron James earlier in the season. However, it is unclear if their efforts will be crowned with a direct playoff qualification.
Key player - LeBron James
LeBron James is one of the greatest players in NBA history. He was sidelined for over 20 games with an ankle injury, which resulted in the LA Lakers losing 14 games in his absence.
The veteran announced his return against the Indiana Pacers yesterday with a big statement on the court. He recorded 24 points, seven rebounds and eight assists in the 122-115 win, despite playing only 28 minutes.
James leads the LA Lakers in points and assists this season, even with his long absence, averaging 25 points, 7.8 assists and 7.9 rebounds.
LA Lakers predicted lineup
Point Guard - Dennis Schroder | Shooting Guard - Kentavious Caldwell-Pope l Small Forward - LeBron James l Power Forward - Anthony Davis l Center - Andre Drummond
New Orleans Pelicans preview
The New Orleans Pelicans have lost four of their last five games without Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. Both players sustained injuries in their game against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday, May 4th.
It has been a disappointing close to the season for the New Orleans Pelicans, who had a shot at making the play-in tournament. As things stand, they will only be playing for pride as a win will not affect their play-in qualification.
Key player - Zion Williamson
Zion Williamson has been sensational in his sophomore season with the New Orleans Pelicans. His pairing with Brandon Ingram on the frontcourt has brought good tidings for the Pelicans in the offense. However, the defense is not as effective as it ranks 22nd in defensive rating.
Zion leads the team with an average of 27 points per game, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists. He registered 23 points, 7 assists, and 12 rebounds in the Pelicans' 108-103 win over the Golden State Warriors.
New Orleans Pelicans predicted lineup
Point Guard - Eric Bledsoe | Shooting Guard - Nickeil Alexander-Walker l Small Forward - Naji Marshall l Power Forward - James Johnson l Center - Willy Hernangomez
Lakers vs Pelicans prediction
The LA Lakers have everything to play for as Sunday's game will decide where their postseason journey starts. The return of LeBron James and Anthony Davis is a massive boost and will tilt the game in their favor.
With the New Orleans Pelicans missing their two most important players, it is hard to see them put up a good fight against the No. 1 ranked defensive team in the 2020-21 NBA regular season.
Where to watch the Lakers vs Pelicans game
Local coverage of the game will be available on Bally Sports New Orleans and Spectrum SportsNet. The match can also be live-streamed via the NBA League Pass.