The Los Angeles Lakers rebounded from a rare setback Tuesday night, defeating the Indiana Pacers 137-130 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Los Angeles entered the matchup after seeing a nine-game winning streak snapped by the Detroit Pistons. Facing a Pacers squad focused on rebuilding during the 2025-26 campaign, the Lakers opened with a 10-0 burst and never trailed.
Doncic dominates former coach
Guard Luka Doncic, confronting former mentor Rick Carlisle, commanded the action from the opening tip. The MVP candidate piled up 43 points on 15-of-30 shooting, adding six rebounds, seven assists and a steal. A steady diet of step-back threes and post-up moves left Indiana’s defense searching for answers.
Reaves, James supply support
Austin Reaves complemented Doncic’s scoring binge with 25 points and eight assists, assuming primary playmaking duties whenever Doncic rested. LeBron James energized the crowd with multiple transition dunks and finished just shy of a triple-double, recording 23 points, nine rebounds and nine assists.
Indiana made several runs to cut the margin, but Los Angeles consistently answered, converting from the paint, mid-range and beyond the arc. The Lakers led wire-to-wire and improved to 47-26, moving two games ahead of the Denver Nuggets for third place in the Western Conference.
Up next
The Lakers return to Crypto.com Arena on Friday to face the Brooklyn Nets. The brief homestand continues against the Washington Wizards on Monday and concludes Tuesday versus the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Source: LakersNation.com
