LeBron James may have been one of the worst shooting performances of his career Wednesday, but when it matters most, he gives. James won a 120-119 victory in the buzzer game, beating Luka Dončić's missed relief as the Los Angeles Lakers fought an exciting battle with the Indiana Pacers. The victory not only ended the Lakers' three-game winning streak, but also ended the Pacers' five-game winning streak.
James entered the fourth quarter with just 0-for-6 shots, the first time in his career in 1,553 games, where he didn't score in the first three quarters. However, he quickly turned the situation around, scoring eight consecutive points early in the final frame, helping the Lakers get back a 13-point lead. Despite the Pacers' game surge, with less than a minute left, James is still ready and ready now. With 0.2 seconds left, his buzzer prompt proved his clutch ability, he tied him up with Kobe Bryant and Joe Johnson to win the second-most professional title in NBA history (eight), only behind Michael Jordan (nine).
Lakers coach JJ Redick praised James' calmness, saying: “It's hard to win with a great team like Indiana. Frankly, they haven't got enough talk across the country. It's an amazing basketball team.” James ended with 13 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists, scoring 10 points or more per game since January 5, 2007.
Rui Hachimura also played a crucial role, hitting 14 points later in the fourth quarter and hitting two key threes. Despite the chaotic ending, the Lakers topped the list, improving to 44-28 and remained steady on the competitive Western Conference standings. With just 10 games left, the Lakers will need to stay healthy and regain their pace in order to prepare for the playoff push.
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