Anthony Davis contributed 36 points and 16 rebounds, while LeBron James added 26 points and 10 assists, propelling the Los Angeles Lakers to their third consecutive victory with a hard-fought 150-145 win over the visiting Indiana Pacers on Sunday. Spencer Dinwiddie notched 26 points, and Austin Reaves chipped in 25 points and eight assists, lifting the Lakers (39-32) to a season-high score without D’Angelo Russell, who was sidelined due to illness. The team now braces for a demanding six-game road trip starting Tuesday.
Although the Lakers secured a previous victory over the Pacers in the in-season tournament title game, that win did not count toward the regular-season standings. The two teams are scheduled to face off again in Indianapolis on Friday.
Pascal Siakam led the Pacers (40-32) with 36 points and 12 rebounds, supported by Myles Turner’s 20 points. Despite entering the game with five wins in their last seven outings, Indiana is now 2-1 on their current five-game road trip and prepares for a matchup against the Clippers in L.A. on Monday. Pacers’ standout Tyrese Haliburton managed 12 points on 5-of-13 shooting alongside 10 assists, bouncing back from a recent shooting slump.
T.J. McConnell contributed 17 points, Andrew Nembhard added 15, and Doug McDermott scored 14 for Indiana.
The Pacers seized an early 36-30 lead after the first quarter, but the Lakers responded with a strong 42-point second period to take a 72-68 advantage at halftime. Los Angeles continued their offensive onslaught with a 44-point third quarter, extending their lead to 116-99.
Indiana staged a late rally in the fourth quarter, narrowing the deficit to 127-123 with 5:33 remaining after a three-pointer from Aaron Nesmith. The Lakers maintained control, holding a 140-131 lead with 1:45 left after a crucial 9-4 run. Although Turner’s three-pointer briefly revived the Pacers’ hopes, Davis’ clutch floater secured a 142-134 lead for the Lakers with 55.7 seconds remaining. Despite the Pacers trimming the margin to 148-145 with 21.6 seconds left, the Lakers closed out the game to secure the victory.