Published on: Apr 1, 2022 4:55 pm IST|Updated on: Apr 1, 2022 4:55 pm IST
LAL vs NOP Dream11: NBA moves into the Playoffs territory with each day and what a fun season we have had! In this phase, we see highly intense games and as we head closer to the Playoffs, the contests for the title will only spring up on a regular basis. There is a lot to play for many teams as a ton of rankings and Play-in spots are still wide upon, to be honest, it is still unclear how the rankings will shape up in ten days. Keeping that in mind, let us dive into the game between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Both these teams are competing for the Play-in tournament but the Pelicans are in a much better position to nab a ninth spot at least. The Lakers are tied with the Spurs in terms of the record and both teams is in an intense battle for the last spot in the Play-in tournament at this moment.
Host: LA Lakers Visitors: New Orleans Pelicans Match Timing: 2 April, @ 08:00 AM Venue: Crypto.com Arena
The Pelicans and Lakers are desperate
The Pelicans have done a great job of winning games since acquiring CJ and if we compared them to the Lakers, their second half of the season has been terrific. CJ addressed the lack of perimeter shooting as Devonte’s production has fallen rapidly. He has also been a reliable ball-handler and when he is paired with Ingram, Jones, Hayes, and Valanciunas, the team has a viable and well-balanced unit where only Ingram and CJ need the ball in their hands to be effective while Brandon can also play off-the-ball.
For the Lakers, the troubles have increased since the absence of LeBron James and he has been carrying this team on his back for most of the games. They have lost four in a row and although Westbrook has played at an elite level, doing a great job of scoring, playmaking, and rebounding, at this point, blaming Westbrook alone for the Lakers’ failings is not a wise move. The return of Anthony Davis here can bolster the team’s two-way performances.
The defense of the Pelicans has been electric with a popping Herbert Jones, length of Brandon Ingram, and a dependable rebounder and help defender in Jonas. The Pelicans have some issues at times on the offensive end but they have become a much more well-balanced team than before. Lakers in contrast have lacked hustle and their defense has been off for most games. There is no doubt that the Pelicans are in a better position than the Lakers.
Los Angeles Lakers (11th in West) | New Orleans Pelicans (9th in West) Games: 75 | 76 Wins: 31 | 33 Defeats: 44 | 43
Los Angeles Lakers Team News
Lakers Expected Starting Five Big-Forward: SF: Trevor Ariza | PF: Stanley Johnson / PF: Anthony Davis Middle: C: Dwight Howard Guards: PG: Russell Westbrook | SG: Malik Monk
BENCH: Austin Reaves, Wenyen Gabriel, Wayne Ellington, Avery Bradley, DJ Augustin, Kent Bazemore, Sekou Doumbouya.
New Orleans Pelicans News
Pelicans Expected Starting Five
Wings: SF/PF: Herbert Jones | SF: Brandon Ingram Middle: PF/C: Jaxson Hayes | C: Jonas Valanciunas Guards: PG/SG: CJ McCollum
BENCH: Devonte Graham, Gary Clarke, Naji Marshall, Jose Alvarado, Willy Hernangomez, Trey Murphy III, Garrett Temple.
Anthony Davis(LAL) Power Forward Davis has planned to return in this game and when he has been active, he has been a huge factor as a defender, scorer and rebounder. Anthony has mostly been in 20+ points, 10+ rebounds, and 1+ steal/block range. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 39-52
CJ McCollum(NOP) Points: 25 Rebounds: 03 Assists: 04 McCollum has been a dynamic scorer for the Pels and ever since he has come to the squad, the Pelicans have become a much better offensive team, especially in terms of three-point shooting. He has mostly been in 25-31 points and 4-6 assists range. He can be selected as a Star/Pro Player in the Dream 11 NBA Fantasy scenario. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 33-45
Russell Westbrook(LAL) Points: 24 Rebounds: 06 Assists: 07 Guard Westbrook has been getting it done recently and has been a high-yielding scorer while also improving on cutting down on turnovers and increasing efficiency. Westbrook has mostly been in 20-25 points, 6-10, rebounds, and 6-10 assists range. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 34-45
Jonas Valanciunas(NOP) Points: 19 Rebounds: 11 Assists: 04 Steals: 04 Center Valanciunas has done a brilliant job in the middle as the rebounding leader and a well-versed scorer. He has mostly been in 16-21 points and 10-15 rebounds range. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 27-40
Malik Monk(LAL) Points: 14 Rebounds: 04 Assists: 04 Steals: 01 Guard Malik Monk has been a huge factor as an isolation scorer and he has been making a case for a big contract in the future. Monk has scored 20+ in three of the last four games. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 22-32
Brandon Ingram(NOP) Points: 19 Rebounds: 06 Assists: 06 Steals: 01 Small Forward Brandon has done a wonderful job as an all-around presence and his play helps the Pelicans be better on both ends of the floor. He has mostly been in 26-33 points, 5-8 assists, and 5-8 rebounds range these days. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 28-44
(If Anthony Davis plays) PG: R Westbrook SG: M Monk, C McCollum(PP), T Horton-Tucker SF: B Ingram(SP) PF: J Hayes C: D Howard, A Davis
(If Anthony Davis doesn’t play) PG: R Westbrook SG: M Monk, C McCollum(PP) SF: B Ingram(SP) PF: J Hayes C: D Howard, J Valanciunas, H Jones
Ingram going at it against the former team while CJ McCollum taking over the offensive end? Wouldn’t it be fun to watch this tussle? In not the most encouraging news for NBA fans in India, this game can’t be seen on streaming services JIO TV and Voot. That is why the best you can catch all the games is by downloading or accessing the NBA League Pass. If you buy the annual subscription, you can dive into all live games, and apart from the live games, you also can grab the full game replay if you are not able to catch the live stream. To learn the scores, stats, and news, go to the official website of the NBA.