The Lakers made things interesting late, but ultimately fell in the fourth quarter
The STAPLES Center had a strange vibe even before the opening tip of the Los Angeles Lakers matchup with the Indiana Pacers after Kobe Bryant made his announcement prior to the game that he will be retiring at the end of the season. At that point, it felt like the fans and Lakers were only concerned about saying goodbye to Kobe.
Kobe, on the other hand, was apparently amped up by the announcement and the buzz it created because he came out of the gate pressing in a major way. He shot a disappointing 1-15 in the first half as the Lakers managed just 35 first-half points to the Pacers’ 48.
The third quarter seemed to slow down for the Lakers as they started running some semblance of an offense and keeping pace with the Pacers. However, with a double-digit deficit, keeping the pace wasn’t going to get the job done. That’s when Nick Young and Jordan Clarkson came into the fold.
More from Lake Show Life
- Darvin Ham adds to Max Christie hype train after Lakers preseason opener
- Is LeBron James playing tonight? Latest Lakers vs Warriors update
- Can Darvin Ham put all of the Lakers puzzle pieces together?
- Lakers news: Darvin Ham knows his fifth starter, LeBron James and Rui Hachimura, Jalen Hood-Schifino praise
- Michael Malone’s painfully ironic comment has Lakers fans heated
While Lakers fans have seen Clarkson put on his cape and try to save the team before, Young is a bit of a different situation. However, Swaggy P got hot from long-range while Clarkson was Mr. Do-It-All for the Lakers and allowed Los Angeles to climb back into the game in the fourth quarter.
After cutting the lead to single digits and then cutting it further. The Lakers trailed by just four point in the final minute of play. That’s when fans got the moment that they all wanted to see after Kobe’s announcement when Bryant curled around to the top of the key and knocked down a three to cut the lead to one.
Unfortunately, Paul George hit the two free throws after the Lakers fouled and then Kobe badly missed the shot to tie the game. That ultimately led to a four-point defeat for the Lakers’ sixth-straight loss, but it was great to see that Kobe moment on a night like this. However, it’s time to move forward and start progressing now.
Three Stars
Nick Young was the spark for the Lakers in this game as he came in and was raining threes. He finished the night with 22 points of 6-14 shooting from long-range, though that doesn’t quantify what he did for the momentum of the game.
Paul George continued his hot streak in this game against the Lakers as the Pacers superstar finished with 39 points, four rebounds, and two steals on 10-21 shooting.
Jordan Clarkson has become a consistent staple in the three stars as he continues to impress. He and Young led the charge in the fourth quarter to help the Lakers make a game of it. Clarkson finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists.
Highlights
Odds
The Pacers were 10-point favorites coming into this game, a spread that they failed to cover. The Lakers and Pacers combined to go over the 201.5 over/under line.
Next: Kobe Announces His Retirement at End of Season
Next Game
The Lakers will be on the road to play the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday.
The Pacers don’t play again until Wednesday when they’ll be in STAPLES again to take on the Clippers.