PREVIEW: The Indiana Pacers arrive at Crypto.com Arena as a team struggling mightily on the road, ranked 29th in defensive efficiency while allowing opponents to attack the rim with alarming frequency. Meanwhile, Los Angeles boasts elite rim protection and leads the league in free throw rate at 0.312 , positioning the Lakers to exploit Indiana's interior vulnerabilities. The Pacers do rank first in defensive rebounding and limit three-point attempts at just 37.5 percent , giving them some defensive footing despite their overall struggles. However, Indiana's 24th-ranked three-point shooting and poor perimeter defense could spell trouble against a Los Angeles team that generates consistent scoring opportunities. The Lakers enter this matchup with efficient rim attacking ranked first in the league , allowing them to dictate pace and control the paint against a Pacers unit missing key defensive pieces. Los Angeles also maintains average offensive tempo and shot distribution across multiple areas , creating matchup nightmares through balanced attack patterns. Indiana's high-frequency midrange attack ranks fifth for the Pacers , suggesting they'll need to establish scoring consistency beyond the arc to keep pace with the favored home team. The Pacers sit at 5-25 on the road this season , making this a steep challenge against a squad looking to bounce back from recent losses.