LOS ANGELES, CA – After trailing by eight points at the end of three straight quarters, the Lakers pulled off a 105-100 win against the Indiana Pacers.
Fresh of the All-Star break, the Lakers looked to end a two-game losing streak and to prove they are still contenders. The defending champs had a strong start with a 6-2 run but quickly ran into trouble offensively. The Lakers finished the first quarter shooting only 39 percent and were down by eight after the first period.
The second quarter started promising as the Laker completed an 11-0 run. The Lakers’ lead did not last long as the Pacers proved to be dominate throughout the quarter. The Lakers had a hard time stopping Malcolm Brogdon, who scored 23 points in the first half. They also experienced another blow when Alex Caruso, who had 7 points during his seven minutes of playing time, suffered a head contusion while trying to recover a loose ball.
He left the floor shortly after the fall and did not return to the game. The Lakers had a strong defensive start at the beginning of the third quarter which resulted in a 15-5 run. But like the first half of the game, the Pacers played well and ran away with a 79-71 lead.
After trailing in the previous three quarters, the Lakers needed to show up and show out if they planned to win. Well, they showed up and showed out. Kyle Kuzma did just that. The forward had an explosive fourth quarter, going on a personal 8-0 run. He scored 15 of his 24 points in that period which allowed the Lakers to go up 94-90 with just over six minutes left in the game.
With Kuzma going off, the Lakers were able to turn an eight-point deficit into a six-point lead. With the game inching into its final seconds, Kentavious Caldwell Pope helped push the team over the edge by stealing an inbound pass that resulted in two free throws. With this win in the books, the Lakers head up north to compete against Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors on Monday, March 15.
Featured Image: Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma in pregame warmup mode during the 2019-20 NBA season. File photo/Mark Hammond for News4usonline
Robin Renay Bolton is a California State University, Dominguez Hills graduating senior. She is passionate about all things related to the Black experience in America. She enjoys covering social justice, pop culture, the beauty industry, and books.