Indiana Pacers 100-105 LA Lakers: Twitter erupts as Kyle Kuzma leads the Purple and Gold to 12-point comeback win
The LA Lakers went into overdrive in the fourth quarter to overcome the Indiana Pacers 105-100 at the Staples Center. The Purple and Gold struggled from the field for the majority of the game but it all came together for them down the stretch.
Kyle Kuzma led the way for the LA Lakers with 24 points and 13 rebounds. LeBron James also had a double-double with 18 points and 10 assists. Malcolm Brogdon was the top-scorer for the Indiana Pacers with 29 points.
LeBron James takes the creator's role as Kyle Kuzma fires LA Lakers to victory
LeBron James didn't take on the scoring load for the LA Lakers in the fourth quarter but he created tons of chances for his teammates. Four of his 10 dimes on the night came in the final period as he exploited holes in the Indiana Pacers' defense to set up the likes of Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell and Dennis Schroder.
Kyle Kuzma was undeniably the star of the show and scored 15 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter. The Indiana Pacers led the game 86-74 with a little over eight minutes left to play and Kuzma took over the proceedings entirely.
The LA Lakers went on a 22-4 run to take a six-point lead and held on to their advantage for the rest of the evening. Kuzma received praise for his scoring and rebound efforts against the Indiana Pacers.
Indiana Pacers choke again
The Indiana Pacers have been one of the most inconsistent teams down the stretch this season. They had a grip on the game for more than three quarters but a few minutes of bad basketball resulted in them throwing it all away.
Malcolm Brogdon was scorching hot in the first quarter and recorded 18 points in that period. But he cooled off from there as the Pacers stumbled. Domantas Sabonis also had a gritty display with 20 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists. Neither of these performances could prevent the LA Lakers from escaping with a win though.