It wasn’t smooth, but the Los Angeles Lakers defeated a short-handed Indiana Pacers squad 122-115 in one of the earliest tip-off times of the season.
This matchup featured the returns of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Dennis Schroder, but Indiana was without marquee players like Domantas Sabonis, Malcolm Brogdon and Myles Turner among others.
Both teams exchanged runs throughout the first three quarters, but it wasn’t until the final quarter when the Lakers established a 14-point lead. However, more runs ensued as the gritty Pacers clawed their way back into it.
James scored seven in a row late in the fourth to seal the deal while keeping the hopes for the sixth seed in the playoffs alive.
Here are three observations from the Saturday morning contest: