In a display of improved defense, the Indiana Pacers secured a 109-90 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, putting an end to the Lakers’ season-best five-game winning streak. Pascal Siakam led the scoring for the Pacers with 22 points and 11 rebounds, while Tyrese Haliburton contributed 21 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. T.J McConnell and Aaron Nesmith also made significant contributions with 16 and 12 points, respectively.

The Pacers sought reve𝚗ge after allowing the Lakers to score 150 points in a previous road loss. Additionally, the Lakers had defeated the Pacers in the title game of an in-season tournament earlier in the season, although that game did not count in the regular-season standings. However, in this matchup, the Pacers showcased improved defense, limiting the Lakers to their season-low point total and holding them to 40.7 percent shooting from the field. On the оffensive end, the Pacers shot an efficient 48.3 percent.

For the Lakers, Anthony Davis recorded a double-double with 24 points and 15 rebounds, returning to the lineup after resting due to knee discomfort in the previous game. LeBron James contributed 16 points and 10 rebounds, while D’Angelo Russell was held to just six points. The Lakers’ main scoring trio played together for the first time in four games.

Throughout the game, the Pacers maintained a lead, finishing the first quarter with a 27-25 advantage and heading into halftime with a 54-49 lead. The Lakers strugglеd from beyond the arc, making only 2 of 13 attempts from 3-point range (15.4 percent). The Pacers extended their lead in the third quarter, outscoring the Lakers 32-23 and taking an 86-72 advantage into the final period. The Lakers continued to strugglе from long range, shooting just 3 of 22 (13.6 percent) from 3-point range by the end of the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, the Lakers made a brief comeback, going on a 7-2 run to cut the deficit to 92-85 with 8:07 remaining after a close-range jumper by LeBron James. However, the Pacers responded with a decisive 12-0 run, extending their lead to 104-85 with 3:38 left in the game. Andrew Nembhard’s steаl off a pass from James led to a fast-break dunk by Siakam, sealing the victory for the Pacers.