Pacers Clinch Winning Season with 109-90 Win Over Lakers

1. First Quarter

When these two teams faced off last week, each quarter featured each team scoring at least thirty points in each quarter. Today’s game started out with neither team reaching that feat. Los Angeles scored the first five points of the game before Aaron Nesmith got Indiana on the scoreboard with a layup. Myles Turner would help Indiana get their first lead with a block that set up a Pascal Siakam layup and then Turner dunked on the next possession. The two teams would exchange the lead and neither team would lead by more than four points. Obi Toppin came off the bench and converted a three-pointer to make it 23-19 with 2:11 left. Indiana and Los Angeles combined to score nine points the rest of the way. After one, Indiana led 27-24. Nesmith led all scorers with 7 points followed by Austin Reaves with 6 points.

2. Second Quarter

The second quarter in tonight’s game would be very similar to the first compared to the quarters in the previous matchup. LeBron James got the quarter started for the Lakers with a dunk to give them a 28-27 lead. That would be the last time the Lakers possessed the lead in the game. T.J. McConnell gave the Pacers the lead back on the next possession with a layup. After Los Angeles made it a one-point game with a D’Angelo Russell layup, Indiana responded with a 10-2 run to go up by seven points after a Ben Sheppard three-pointer. With 1:39 left in the half, the Lakers tied the game up at 47 with an Anthony Davis field goal. Indiana closed the quarter with a 7-2 surge to lead 54-49. Davis led all scorers with 12 points. Indiana’s leading scorer was McConnell with 11 points. At halftime, Los Angeles was shooting 2/13 (15.4%) from three-point range and had an advantage of nine on the glass.

3. Third Quarter

To start the second half, Indiana’s lead hung around five points for a few minutes. Austin Reaves converted a layup that made it 59-55 with 9:25 left in the third quarter. Indiana responded with a 11-4 run with Siakam being the driving force behind the Pacers offense. Indiana did a great job at preventing Los Angeles from going on any runs to get back into the game. Reaves completed a three-point play that made it 75-67. Indiana then went on an 8-0 run to take a game high 83-67 lead after a Jalen Smith layup. After three quarters of play, Indiana’s lead was 86-72. Siakam led all scorers in the period with ten points. Davis led all scorers with 19 points. Indiana had five players in double figures with Siakam pacing them with 16 points. Los Angeles was 3/22 (13.6%) from three-point range after the third quarter.

4. Fourth Quarter

Los Angeles opened the third quarter with their starting five on the floor in aspirations of making a run to make the game interesting. There was a moment in the fourth where it felt like the Lakers were gaining momentum. With 8:07 remaining in the contest, LeBron converted a fadeaway jumper that made it 92-85. Indiana responded with a huge 17-3 run to take a 109-88 lead. The dagger happened before the end of the run when Tyrese Haliburton swished his third triple in the contest. It resulted in a timeout for the Lakers and both teams emptying their benches. Obi Toppin’s layup coming out of the timeout gave Indiana that twenty-one-point lead. The final score was Indiana 109, Los Angeles 90.

5. Top Performers

Pascal Siakam (22p, 11r, 6a), Tyrese Haliburton (21p, 8r, 8a), T.J. McConnell (16p), Aaron Nesmith (12p, 4r), Myles Turner (10p, 5r, 3a), and Andrew Nembhard (10p). For Los Angeles, Anthony Davis (24p, 15r), Austin Reaves (16p, 13r, 6a), LeBron James (16p, 10r, 8a), and Rui Hachimura (14p).  For tonight’s full box score, click here.

6. Notes

• Indiana clinched a winning season for the first time since 2019-2020
• Indiana snaps Los Angeles’s 5-game winning streak
  • Win also snaps LA’s 3-game winning streak in Gainbridge Fieldhouse
• Indiana held Los Angeles to a season low 90 points
  • Also, the fewest points an opponent has scored against the Pacers this season
• Indiana was 0-18 prior to tonight when scoring 110 points or less
• T.J. McConnell has now scored 10+ points for the 9th straight game
  • Longest streak of his career
• Pascal Siakam recorded his 15th double-double of the season
  • 10th double-double as a Pacer
• Pascal Siakam scored 20+ times for the 42nd time of the season
  • 20th time he’s done so as an Indiana Pacer
• LeBron James extends his NBA record of consecutive games with 10+ points to 1,215
• LeBron James recorded his 24th double-double of the season
• Anthony Davis notched his 58th double-double of the season
• Austin Reves extended his double-double streak to 3 games
  • 9th time of the season
• Indiana sits 6th in the Eastern Conference Standings
  • Trail the Cleveland Cavaliers by 3.5 games for 4th
  • Trail the Orlando Magic by 1 game for 5
  • Have 1 game lead over Miami Heat (7th)
  • Have 2.5 game lead over Philadelphia 76ers (8th)

7. Next Up

The Indiana Pacers will have two days off before they welcome the Brooklyn Nets back to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Monday night. Pat Boylan will get things started with the Kroger Pregame Show at 6:30pm. Mark Boyle and Eddie Gill will have the play-by-play starting at 7pm on 93.5/107.5 The Fan.