Luka Doncic and LeBron James put on a dramatic finish in the Los Angeles Lakers' 120-119 road victory over the Indiana Pacers, a game that saw James clean up Doncic's missed shot at the buzzer.
Doncic, who finished with 34 points, seven rebounds and seven assists while hitting six 3-pointers, had the chance to seal the win but misfired on a floater in the closing moments.
Fortunately for him, James was there to tip it in as time expired.
After the game, Doncic expressed his appreciation for the four-time MVP, saying he was grateful James had the confidence in him to take the shot - and even more thankful that he was there to clean up the miss.
"He was asking for the ball, but I wasn't confident enough to make that pass," Doncic told reporters postgame, according to Luka Updates. "Nine seconds to go, pass to AR, he passed to LeBron, I just saw how much confidence he has in me. I would appreciate that he gave me the final ball. I think I had a great look, didn't make it, but LeBron was there luckily."
Luka talks about the last possession.
Says that he appreciates LeBron having confidence in him to give him the ball at the end. pic.twitter.com/DY9qQASEXh
— Luka Updates (@LukaUpdates) March 27, 2025
The Lakers had led most of the way, controlling the second and third quarters before Indiana mounted a late charge.
Up 118-112 with 1:44 left, Los Angeles saw its lead vanish as Tyrese Haliburton's three-point play capped a 7-0 Pacers run. Both teams came up empty on their next possessions, setting the stage for Doncic's potential game-winner, which rimmed out - only for James to swoop in and secure the victory with his buzzer-beating putback.
The 40-year-old Lakers star finished with 13 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists, capping off a 10-point fourth quarter.
For Los Angeles, the win was desperately needed after losing seven of its last 10 games. Even on an off night for James (4-for-12 shooting), the Lakers found a way to get it done - with a little bit of luck and a lot of LeBron.
Related: Luka Doncic's Non-Committal Response to Playing in Lakers-Nuggets Game
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This story was originally published March 27, 2025 at 12:33 AM.