Luka Doncic scored 44 points in three quarters to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 128-117 win over the Indiana Pacers, despite LeBron James and Deandre Ayton being out. Rick Carlisle called Doncic the greatest player he's ever coached, praising his competitive drive.
The Los Angeles Lakers secured a 128-117 win over the Indiana Pacers on Friday night at Crypto.com Arena, powered by another huge performance from Luka Doncic.
Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic
MIN: 35.45
PTS: 32.49 (56.97%)
REB: 7.8
AS: 8.47
ST: 1.47
BL: 0.53
TO: 4
GM: 51
Doncic finished with 44 points in just three quarters of action, leading the Lakers offense even with LeBron James and Deandre Ayton unavailable due to injury.
After the game, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle had strong praise for the Slovenian superstar.
“He’s the greatest player I’ve ever coached,” Carlisle says of Doncic per Pacers writer Tony East on Bsky. “You show me a great player that isn’t stubborn and doesn’t get pissed off at things, and I’ll show you a guy that’s not a great player.”
Credit Imagn/Scanpix
Doncic controlled the game early and often, helping the Lakers build a lead they never lost. His scoring and playmaking set the tone as Los Angeles handled business at home.
Austin Reaves provided solid support with 19 points, while Luke Kennard added 15. Rui Hachimura also finished in double digits with 13 points.
The win marked the Lakers fourth victory in their last five games, improving their record to 38-25 and keeping them in sixth place in the Western Conference standings.
Indiana continued to struggle. The Pacers have now lost eight straight games and dropped to 15-48 on the season.
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