The Los Angeles Lakers produced their highest-scoring night in 37 years, outpacing the Indiana Pacers in a fierce clash, leaving them trailing 150-145.
Star Duo Leads the Charge
Under the leadership of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Lakers had four players scoring at least 25 points each, marking the team’s highest-scoring game of the season.
In addition to his 16 rebounds and 36 points, Davis made 15 of his 21 field goals. Austin Reaves scored a game-winning set of six free throws in the closing minutes, along with 26 points from James and Spencer Dinwiddie.
Setting Records Together
According to NBA stats, these four players became the first quartet on a team to each score 25+ points in three years, becoming the Lakers’ first quartet to do so since 1971.
Pacers’ Early Lead and Lakers’ Comeback
The Pacers had a six-point lead after the first quarter before the Lakers built an 86-point lead alone in the second and third quarters combined, largely due to scoring explosions.
Post-Game Reactions
LeBron James reflected on the game post-match, stating, “We were really fast out there. We had some turnovers in the first three months and the first half, but we cleaned it up in the second half.”
Meanwhile, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle was pleased with his squad’s efforts despite the narrow loss, saying, “There were just some things that were impossible to control. A 27-point free throw differential is one, and a 17-foul differential is another.”
Looking Ahead
With the trade deadline approaching, Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 36 points and 12 rebounds, while Myles Turner and Andrew Nembhard contributed 20 and 15 points respectively as the Pacers fell to 40-32, currently sitting at sixth place in the Eastern Conference.
In between matches, the Purple and Gold won three straight games to secure a ninth-seeded position in the Western Conference with a 39-32 score. The Lakers are currently traveling for six games with the goal of strengthening their seeding and guaranteeing a postseason spot before the season ends.
