The NBA Summer League is in full swing out in Las Vegas with eight games of action across the Saturday slate. Taking place at 8:30 p.m. ET, the Los Angeles Lakers will face the New Orleans Pelicans. Both teams will be looking to bounce back from a loss in the summer league opener.
DraftKings Sportsbook is listing the Pelicans as 2.5-point favorites at -130 on the moneyline ahead of the contest. The Lakers hold +110 odds on the moneyline with the game total set at 180.
Lakers vs. Pelicans Preview, Prediction:
There were plenty of eyes on the Lakers’ summer league debut as they faced off with No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg. Dallas was able to secure a two-point victory over Los Angeles, with its 36.7% field-goal percentage and 54.5% free-throw percentage a driving reason why.
Cole Swider led the team in scoring with 22 points, also getting 10 rebounds while shooting 6-of-9 from beyond the three-point line in the summer league opener. Dalton Knecht has had some struggles, but he dropped 15 points in the matchup. DJ Steward added 14 points while Darius Bazley finished with eight points and 11 rebounds, and he brings more experience than is typically seen in the summer league. Bronny James competed at a high level defensively and finished with eight points in the opening game. Sir’Jabari Rice added seven points and five rebounds off the bench while Christian Koloko, RJ Davis and Trey Jemison III are all names to keep an eye on.
New Orleans fell to the Minnesota Timberwolves 98-91 in its summer league opener. No. 7 overall pick Jeremiah Fears shot just 4-for-12 from the floor and turned the ball over seven times despite leading the starters with 14 points. Derik Queen also looked lost in the first half and struggled to keep up with the NBA pace of play. The Maryland product settled in and finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds, but he also turned the ball over seven times. Yves Missi finished with 13 points and 13 rebounds, while Antonio Reeves and Micah Peavy also scored in double figures to round out the starting lineup.
Lester Quinones popped off the bench for 20 points while shooting 5-for-8 from beyond the three-point arc. Two-time All-American Hunter Dickinson also added five points in his 11 minutes. New Orleans’ 25 turnovers were the driving force of the team’s struggles, and it also shot just 14-for-25 (56.0%) at the free-throw line.
Lakers vs. Pelicans Pick: Lakers ML (+110)
This is a fascinating clash of styles in this summer league setting. Los Angeles’ roster is extremely experienced by summer league standards, headlined by the 237 games of NBA experience that Darius Bazley has played while Cole Swider, DJ Steward, Sir’Jabari Rice, Dalton Knecht, Bronny James, DaJuan Gordon and Trey Jemison III all have varying degrees of time spent in the league.
The opposite is true of the Pelicans, who are fully invested in allowing their high-profile rookies to play through their mistakes. Jeremiah Fears is still just 18 years old, and Derik Queen also enters after a one-and-done season, with the pair of first-round picks being tasked as the primary offensive engines. While Yves Missi impressed in his rookie year and Lester Quinones has had a few different NBA stops, they do not compare to what Los Angeles brings to the table. It may be fair to assess that there is more top-end talent on New Orleans’ roster, but there is a clearer vision of what this Lakers roster fully looks like.
Expect this level of experience to be a factor tonight and for the Lakers to capitalize on the Pelicans’ sloppiness. Turnovers were a concern for both Fears and Queen dating back to college, and it will take far more than a few summer league minutes to iron these out. New Orleans is doing the right things in the long haul by allowing the rookies to play through their mistakes, but there will be some short-term struggles for this same reason.
Count on Dalton Knecht to begin to find his footing and lead the offensive charge. Bazley will be capable of matching Missi’s athleticism and verticality, and expect Bronny James to make his impact felt on the defensive end with turnover opportunities prevalent. There is no reason to panic about the Pelicans’ big picture outlook, but expect their youth to be evident in tonight’s matchup and for the Lakers to capitalize with a victory.
