Luka Drops 43, LeBron James Amazes Fans with Highlights in Lakers' Win vs. Pacers
The Los Angeles Lakers are rolling.
Los Angeles improved to 47-26 overall and 10-1 in the last 11 games with a 137-130 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. While Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart and Rui Hachimura were all sidelined, the Purple and Gold had plenty of firepower to handle the struggling Pacers.
Luka Dončić (43 points, seven assists and six rebounds) and LeBron James (23 points, nine assists and nine rebounds) led the way as they so often do, while Jaxson Hayes added a double-double of 21 points and 10 boards.
Despite 20 points and eight rebounds from Pascal Siakam, Indiana is not currently constructed to keep pace with the two stars and fell to 16-57 overall and 1-17 in its last 18.
Social media had plenty of reaction for Dončić and James:
Los Angeles is attempting to solidify its position in the Western Conference playoff race and entered the game as the No. 3 seed in the standings. This seemed to be a game it would have no trouble winning on paper given how each team is playing, and the start went exactly as expected.
Dončić immediately found his shooting stroke and poured in 21 points in the first quarter alone as the visitors quickly jumped out to a double-digit lead on the way to a 16-point halftime advantage.
It wasn't just Dončić, as James turned back the clock with an array of dunks and incredible passes as the Lakers continued to create separation.
With Los Angeles' two stars providing all the excitement, the most notable part of the game from an Indiana perspective was the presence of Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark working as a photographer:
She had an unobstructed view as the Lakers continued to dominate in a second half that was largely a formality and even featured a Bronny James dunk before the Pacers cut into the final deficit with some garbage-time scoring.
It was more of the same from Dončić in the third quarter as he scored in a variety of ways by hitting from the outside, attacking the lane and mixing in some midrange shooting, and the Pacers had no answer.
While it might be too late in the season for him to overcome Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the MVP race, he is playing at an incredible level and spearheading a red-hot Lakers team that now looks like a legitimate threat in the Western Conference.
He and the rest of the team will look to keep that momentum rolling Friday when they host the Brooklyn Nets.
