Lakers top Pacers behind Dončić's 43-point night
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) celebrates a three point shot during the second quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. INDIANAPOLIS – The ball barely had time to settle before Luka Dončić was already in rhythm. From the opening tip Wednesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Dončić didn’t just set the tone — he overwhelmed it.
21 points in the first quarter, a blur of step-backs, deep threes and surgical drives, left the Indiana Pacers scrambling for answers that never really came. By halftime, he had 28. By the final buzzer, he had authored yet another masterpiece: 43 points, six rebounds and seven assists in a 137-130 Lakers win.
Another night, another MVP-level performance. At this point, it’s less a hot streak and more a sustained offensive takeover. Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) dribbles the ball down court during the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) dribbles the ball down court during the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. And it’s changing everything about this team. The Lakers closed out their six-game road trip 5-1, have won 13 of their last 15, and are now essentially locked into the third seed in the Western Conference with nine games to play.
More importantly, they look like a team peaking at exactly the right time — powered by a player operating at a historic level. Dončić’s current run has pushed him into rare air. He’s now the first player since Michael Jordan to average 40 points over a six-game road stretch.
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