The Indiana Pacers beat the Los Angeles Lakers 109–90 on Friday night in a game that was very important for both teams’ chances of making the playoffs. Pascal Siakam scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and Tyrese Haliburton scored 21 points with eight assists and eight rebounds.

Indiana has won four of its last six games and is still the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference. With this win, Rick Carlisle tied Red Auerbach for the 12th most wins in NBA history with 938.

All-Stars who are hurt When the Lakers played, LeBron James (left ankle) and Anthony Davis (left knee) both looked and played like perennial All-Stars. They were trying to improve their playoff place from being the ninth seed in the West.

Davis had 24 points and 15 rebounds at the end of the game, and James had 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists. The Lakers made just 5 of 29 3-pointers and turned the ball over 16 times, with James making five of them. Austin Reaves added 16 points and 13 boards.

The early fast pace and high stakes made for an exciting but sometimes sloppy competition.

They lost to the Lakers 123–109 in the final of the NBA’s first In-Season Tournament and 150–145 last Sunday in Los Angeles, but Indiana turned the tables on an old rival.

For almost the whole last 39 minutes, the Pacers were ahead. Late in the third, they took a lead of 86–70 and held off all four Lakers charges early in the fourth. A 17–3 run sealed their first winning season since 2020–21.