Is Anthony Davis playing tonight against Indiana Pacers? Latest update on 8x All-Star's status (Dec. 9)
The LA Lakers are a win away from winning the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament. They need Anthony Davis to be on top of his game against the Indiana Pacers. The two teams clash in the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Saturday.
For those who want to catch the action, ESPN will be covering the game, and their feed will be available through an online live stream by subscribing to NBA League Pass.
There are three players on the Lakers' injury list. They are key players: LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Jared Vanderbilt, who are all marked as 'probable' to play against the Pacers.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis will be game-time decisions to play and will most likely suit up. However, Vanderbilt, who is also probable to play, should be the least expected to be active against the Pacers.
The only player ruled out of the game is Gabe Vincent, who is expected to return to the roster by next week.
Anthony Davis wary of scrappy Indiana Pacers ahead of NBA In-Season Tournament Final
The Indiana Pacers made it to the NBA In-Season Final and are seen as the underdog team against the LA Lakers. Even with the Lakers' championship experience and advantage, Davis is not underestimating their young and hungry opponents:
"They are a good ballclub. We were actually talking about it maybe last week that they score a lot of points. Obviously, the head of the snake is Tyrese, with good role players around him who complement him very well.
"They are young. They are scrappy. They get out and run, and they play the right way. So it's going to be a test for our defense, for sure. But it's going to be an exciting game."
Tyrese Haliburton shone the brightest in the Pacers' semifinal matchup with the Bucks, with 27 points, 15 assists and seven rebounds.
The Lakers beat the New Orleans Pelicans in the semifinal, where Anthony Davis tallied 16 points, 15 rebounds and two blocks in the blowout win. LeBron James led with 30 points, eight rebounds and five assists in just 21 minutes.
The Pacers and Lakers split their two league meetings last season.