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Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James and PG Dennis Schroder will play in Saturday’s game vs. the Indiana Pacers, coach Frank Vogel announced prior to the 1 p.m. ET tip-off. Alex Caruso will be active and available to play, but could sit out the game. James was supposed to be back in the lineup earlier in the week but the team opted to get him more rest coming back from that ankle sprain. Schroder had been in health and safety protocols but has been cleared to play.
Neither player is expected to be on a hard minutes limit, per Vogel. The Lakers need a win to move into a tie for 6th place in the West with the Portland Trail Blazers, who play their regular-season finale on Sunday vs. the Denver Nuggets. The Lakers are in the 7-seed and would have to face either the Warriors or Grizzlies in the play-in tournament next week. Los Angeles is still 4/1 to win it all on DraftKings Sportsbook and favored to come out of the West and return to the Finals. James being 100 percent healthy is key to either of those things happening.