They met in the NBA’s inaugural in-season tournament championship game in Las Vegas in December, a matchup the Lakers won over the Indiana Pacers.
There was less at stake when the two squads met Sunday night at Crypto.com Arena, but the game still held significance for the Lakers.
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With the regular-season winding down, the Lakers are seeking home-court advantage for the play-in tournament.
The Lakers’ high-energy 150-145 win over the Pacers was a step in the right direction, giving them a 2 ½-game lead over the 10th-seeded Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference playoff race.
Spencer Dinwiddie, who started in place of D’Angelo Russell (non-COVID illness), played a leading role in helping the Lakers record a season high for points. Dinwiddie had 26 points — the most he has scored since his arrival — going eight for 11 from the field and two for three from three-point range. He went eight for nine from the free-throw line, with his final free throw giving the Lakers (39-32) a four-point lead with 20 seconds left.
Anthony Davis finished with 36 points and 16 rebounds, and LeBron James had 26 points, 10 assists and five rebounds to help the Lakers earn their third consecutive win. Austin Reaves finished with 25 points.
The Lakers scored 116 points through three quarters — their highest output this season — and held a 17-point lead entering the fourth.
Pascal Siakam led the Pacers (40-32) with 36 points and 12 rebounds.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
