Anthony Davis, Lakers rally past Pacers to avenge past losses – Orange County Register

INDIANAPOLIS — While the stage at Gainbridge Fieldhouse isn’t quite the same as that at Madison Square Garden, late Thursday night’s scenario couldn’t be more familiar to the heart-pounding Lakers.

They’ve been squeezed into clutch time games before, memorably against these Indiana Pacers, who erased a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter and edged out the Lakers when a rookie let off a 3-point buzzer in November.

They were preparing for another disappointment, a key shot by Anthony Davis spoiled by two missed free throws by Pat Beverley. That left Indiana six seconds up and a point behind in possession, and Coach Rick Carlisle setting up a game on the touchline—would the Lakers be in the same pain against the same team?

Not this time: Dennis Schröder and Russell Westbrook managed to swarm Buddy Hield into the corner, and Hield forced a throw from 17 feet that bounced off the rim and into the hands of Davis, who didn’t let go of the ball even after The Buzzer sounded in their 112-111 win.

The Lakers (25-28) need every win they can get — especially against the hapless Pacers (24-29), who lost 10-of-11 going into the matchup during a stretch without a newly-minted All-Star Tyrese Haliburton . Davis led with 31 points, 14 rebounds and two blocks — including one on Haliburton by 10 seconds that kept him from giving his team the lead.

LeBron James had 26 points, seven rebounds and seven assists and moved to within 63 points of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to set the NBA all-time record.

James gave the Lakers – who were up to 15 points behind – their first lead of the night with a 3-pointer with 2:35 left in the game, and Davis’ 11-footer with 35.1 seconds left was the deciding basket.

Aaron Nesmith posted a career-high 24 points, Haliburton added 26 points and 12 assists in his first game in three weeks, and Myles Turner had 20 points and 13 rebounds for Indiana.

For most of the night, it looked like the Pacers would pull away thanks to their speed and a distinct advantage from 3-point range, where they were 16-41 compared to the Lakers’ 6-to-22 performance . Indiana led by double digits for most of the first three quarters and 98-84 early in the fourth.

But the Lakers capitalized on Indiana’s late fouls and down-the-line heroics by James and Davis.

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