Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James and New Orleans Pelicans rookie sensation Zion Williamson faced off against each other for the first time last week, and the matchup did not disappoint. LeBron's Lakers walked away with a 118-109 win over Zion's Pelicans, but both elite talents put on a show -- James finished with a season-high 40 points, eight rebounds and six assists, while Williamson posted 29 points, six rebounds and three assists. Now, the two stars will get to face off one last time in the regular season as the teams meet on Sunday to conclude the season series.
Williamson is the NBA's most-hyped rookie since James, and while he may be the future of the league, James made it clear that he's not quite ready to give up his throne during the first meeting between the two. James was energized from the opening tip, and as a result he had arguably his best game of the season. James knew that there would be an added level of intrigue and scrutiny since it was his first game against Williamson, and he was clearly ready to put on a show. It will be interesting to see how both players respond now that they have at least some familiarity with each other.
The Lakers, who have won all three meetings with the Pelicans this season, hold down the top spot in the West. Meanwhile, the Pelicans are fighting for the eight seed so there's a chance that these two teams will meet in the first round of the playoffs. With that said, here's everything you need to know about the second meeting between James and Williamson.
How To Watch
- When: March, 1, 8 p.m. ET
- Location: Smoothie King Center -- New Orleans, Louisiana
- TV: ESPN | Stream: WatchESPN
- Odds: NO: +110 | LAL: -130 | O/U: 235.5
So who wins Lakers vs. Pelicans? And which side of the spread cashes in well over 50 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Lakers vs. Pelicans spread to jump on Sunday, all from the advanced model that is up more than $3,000 on its NBA picks this year, and find out.
Storylines
Lakers: After a surprising loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night, the Lakers will be looking for a bounce-back win. That's bad news for the Pelicans because the Lakers have only lost back-to-back games twice this season. The Lakers have been the class of the West all season, and they have bested the Pelicans three times already, Considering the fact that they could potentially face New Orleans in the first round of the playoffs, this doesn't seem like a game that the Lakers are likely to overlook, either.
Pelicans: New Orleans isn't on the Lakers level, but it is good enough to be a playoff team in the Western Conference. The Pelicans' record doesn't really reflect how good they are at this point in time, as Williamson missed the first several months of the season. Since he's entered the lineup, though, the Pelicans have been very formidable and have been playing over .500 ball. They currently sit ninth in the playoff picture in the West, and are an interesting storyline for the remainder of the season. We'll see if they're able to make up ground and climb into the postseason for a potential first round matchup with James and the Lakers.
Game prediction, pick
The Lakers have been the better team all season, and that isn't going to change on Sunday night. The Pelicans are on their way to developing into a legitimate playoff team in the West, but they're not quite there yet, and they don't have the offensive firepower to keep up with the likes of James and Anthony Davis. Sure, Williamson will likely provide fans with a handful of highlights, but ultimately the Lakers will walk away with a win and complete the season sweep of the Pelicans in the process. Pick: Lakers -2.5
