The perception is that two horrendous defenses are facing each other in this matchup. If you go by season statistics that's true. The Lakers rank 25th defensively and just surrendered 130 points to the Mavericks, the most they've scored all season. The Pelicans rank second-to-last in points allowed per game.

But the current reality doesn't fit the sterotype.

The Lakers had held their four previous opponents to an average of 94.2 points a game before playing the Mavericks. Those teams were the Suns, Nets and Thunder twice. Not one of them scored more than 104 points and all three teams rank among the top 19 in scoring.

The Pelicans are better defensively nowadays having traded for Nikola Mirotic and adding Emeka Okafor, a defensive-minded center who had been out of the NBA since 2012-13. The Pelicans are adjusting to life without DeMarcus Cousins and just held the Pistons to 103 points in their last game two days ago.

The Pistons had scored 111 or more points in four of their last five games before losing to New Orleans. A key to the Pelicans' defensive success against the Pistons was Mirotic's fine work guarding Blake Griffin.

The Lakers are dealing with a rust factor since they last played on Saturday. The extra time should help them defensively with added preparation, but three full days off isn't a positive for their shooting.