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The Los Angeles Lakers emerged victorious against the Indiana Pacers 104-96 to break their mini two-game losing streak. The Lakers were off to a rampant start taking a 23 point lead after the first quarter.
The Indiana Pacers came into this game on the back of a two-game winning streak on the West Coast but were unsettled by the intensity shown by the Lakers in the early part of the game. The Pacers managed to crawl back into the game in the second quarter and also partly took a three point lead in the 3rd quarter but could not sustain the Lakers on this given night.
The Lakers had strong displays all-around. LeBron James finished with the game-high 38 points. Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, Josh Hart and Kentavious-Caldwell Pope all finished with double digits in scoring. Lonzo Ball didn't have a great night scoring the basketball but contributed in all other areas. Here are the top 3 takeaways from the game.
#3 Lakers' defensive tenacity
The Lakers had 11 blocked shots and eight steals for the game. They were constantly altering the Pacers offense throughout the match.
The Lakers started the match with great energy on defense. They had seven blocks after just seven minutes into the game. Lonzo Ball had a great chase down block, Javale McGee was altering shots at the rim.
McGee finished with the game-high four blocks. Brandon Ingram also contributed on the defensive end and finished with three blocks while Lonzo Ball had two blocks and was a pest on the defensive end. Josh Hart had a good game after some recent mediocre performances. He finished with the game-high three steals.
The Lakers didn't allow the Pacers to finish easy and that allowed them to take control of the match.
#2 Sabonis can play tough basketball
Last season, the Pacers got Domantas Sabonis as a trade package for their star Paul George. Sabonis is having a great season with the Pacers.
Sabonis had 20 points and 15 rebounds for the match and was the only player to have a double-double. He is averaging 15 points and 10 rebounds per game coming off the bench for the Pacers and has become a key contributor for them.
Young, Bogdanovic, Joseph and McDermott all finished with double-digit scoring in the match but the Pacers struggled shooting as a team from the field. The Pacers only shot 37.2 % from the field and were disrupted throughout.
The Pacers are now placed at 5th place in the top-heavy Eastern Conference with a 13-9 record. They will now next play away to the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night.
#1 Another remarkable game from LeBron James
LeBron James had another remarkable game and led the Lakers to a much-needed victory. James finished with 38 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists for the game on 15-27 shooting from the field.
After his worst game of the season against the Denver Nuggets, King James bounced back in style. He finished at the rim at will. He controlled the pace of the game and looked comfortable throughout. James was the most influential player of the match.
James is having a terrific year with the Lakers. He is one of the top contenders for the NBA MVP award. The Lakers will be hoping that James takes them deep into the playoffs this year after missing the playoffs for five straight seasons. The Lakers are now 12-9 in the Western Conference and next play the Dallas Mavericks at the Staples Center tomorrow night.
