PREVIEW: The New Orleans Pelicans and Los Angeles Lakers meet at Crypto.com Arena on Sunday night , with vastly different trajectories defining this Western Conference matchup. New Orleans has stumbled through the season, losing 17 of their first 20 games , while Los Angeles has thrived with 14 wins in their first 18 contests. The Pelicans face the added challenge of playing the second game of a back-to-back on the road against one of the league's hottest teams. New Orleans will be without several key contributors including Trey Murphy III, Jordan Poole, Herbert Jones, and Dejounte Murray, while the Lakers have ruled out Marcus Smart . The Lakers' offensive firepower presents an overwhelming challenge for a struggling Pelicans defense. Los Angeles leads the league in two-point shooting percentage at 62.3 percent , while New Orleans ranks last in the NBA in defensive two-point percentage , creating a mismatch in the paint. Luka Doncic averages 35.1 points with 9.4 assists per game and is a legitimate MVP contender , while the Lakers have won six consecutive games and covered the spread in five of their last six outings. Despite defensive limitations, Los Angeles should score at will against New Orleans, though the Pelicans could generate enough points to push the total over the line.