Los Angeles @ Indiana preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 29, 2018 ) Indiana 96, L.A. Lakers 104

Star forward LeBron James is expected to play for the second time since Christmas Day when the Los Angeles Lakers visit the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday. James has missed 18 of the last 19 games because of a groin injury and Los Angeles is only 7-12 during the stretch.

James returned for Thursday's 123-120 win over the Los Angeles Clippers and had 24 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists and admitted afterward that watching games isn't his forte. “That’s the frustration part - when you see your team struggle and you know you can help them and you can’t do anything in a suit and tie," James told reporters. "That’s when the negativity starts to creep in your mind.” The Pacers lost four straight games after losing star guard Victor Oladipo to a season-ending knee injury but have bounced back with consecutive wins over the Miami Heat and New Orleans Pelicans. "We're still transitioning without Vic," point guard Darren Collison said in a postgame television interview after Monday's 109-107 victory over the host Pelicans. "We're still trying to figure it out. There are going to some growing pains. It's not always going to be pretty."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Spectrum SportsNet (Los Angeles), FS Indiana

ABOUT THE LAKERS (27-26): There is a lot of uncertainty hanging over the roster after the Los Angeles Times reported Monday that Los Angeles has offered six players and two first-round draft choices to the New Orleans Pelicans in its bid to land star big man Anthony Davis. The Times reported that point guards Lonzo Ball and Rajon Rondo, young forwards Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma and journeymen Lance Stephenson and Michael Beasley were offered to the Pelicans for Davis and forward Solomon Hill. Kuzma has been hindered by a hip injury for nearly two weeks and he is listed as probable to play against the Pacers.

ABOUT THE PACERS (34-19): Collison has picked up some of the scoring slack created by Oladipo's injury, scoring 22 points on 9-of-14 shooting against New Orleans for his second straight 20-point effort. "He's having to carry a little bit more load since the absence of Victor," Indiana coach Nate McMillan said during his postgame media session. "He's capable of doing that. He made some big shots. He's the guy we have gone to late in games as far as putting the ball in his hands." The Pacers are hoping to rely more on veteran guard Tyreke Evans but he is 4-of-19 shooting over the past two games after missing three contests with a back injury.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Pacers have won their past five home games against the Lakers.

2. Ingram has scored 20 or more points in five of the past seven contests.

3. Indiana SF Doug McDermott (ribs) will miss his third straight game.

PREDICTION: Pacers 112, Lakers 106