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Can the Lakers head into the All-Star break on a high note?

In the final game before the week-long midseason break, the Lakers will host the Pelicans looking for some positive vibes.

Los Angeles Lakers v New Orleans Pelicans Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

The new-look Lakers looked to be set to head into the All-Star break with good vibes after beating the Warriors on the road. A stumble against a Blazers team playing NBA Jam with nets on fire on Monday completely halted that momentum but they could regain a bit of it on Wednesday to close out the regular season against the Pelicans.

DraftKings odds

Perhaps Las Vegas knows something about LeBron James’ availability for the game as the Lakers, according to our friends at DraftKings, are currently 5-point favorites in the game, which seems generous. The Pelicans were not good for a long stretch, beat the Lakers and have won four of their last five, including that victory.

You could potentially take New Orleans +5 here, and it wouldn’t be a bad bet. It just doesn’t feel like the Lakers deserve to be that big of favorites against any non-tanking team right now.

But if you’re looking for a more fun bet, take a look at D’Angelo Russell’s over/under on points. Currently, it’s set at 15.5 points, a number he cleared on Monday against the Blazers. The reintroduction of LeBron would theoretically lessen how much he has the ball, but it could also open up more shots for him with defenses focusing on LeBron.

If D’Lo can fill in the off-ball, spot-up shooting role, then he could be in line for a big night and possibly our first “Ice In His Veins” celebration tonight. And if LeBron doesn’t play, then it feels like an even safer bet for Russell.

What would give Lakers fans and the team better vibes heading into the break than a big D’Lo night, a trademark celebration and a win on Wednesday? It’s hard to imagine anything else.

Check out DraftKings Sportsbook, the official sportsbook partner of SB Nation. You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude.

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