LeBron James and Anthony Davis are no strangers to getting the job done in big moments. The latest opportunity to do so came against the Indiana Pacers with the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament title game — the NBA Cup — using a 123-109 victory.
“I feel like when we are on the floor together, and we’re healthy, we know what we’re capable of doing,” James said. “We’ve played too many games together, shared too many moments, played in too many big moments together to fail each other. It’s been everything, like I said, especially at the later stage of my career.”
James finished with 24 points and 11 rebounds, earning tournament MVP honors, but received plenty of support in the biggest game. Davis led with 41 points and 20 rebounds, setting the tone against a more undersized team. Austin Reaves scored 28 points, the only Lakers player to even score in double figures.
“We’ve been doing it together for a long time, five years now, and we just figure it out,” Davis said. “We know each other’s tendencies, what we like to do. Obviously, in crunch time, we get to our infamous pick-and-roll and it’s tough to stop.
“We feed off one another. Thursday, LeBron had it going. Tonight, it was me, and he still did his thing.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers, Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers Updates
The best it got for the Pacers was when they led 5-2 at the early stage of the game before the Lakers took control to establish a lead as large as double figures in the opening period. Los Angeles never trailed for the remainder of the game, with things getting out of hand for Indiana after halftime. The Lakers by as many as 16 points in the fourth quarter, clinching the win.
Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers were the NBA’s feel-good story throughout the In-Season Tournament. A young team in a small market with a rising star defeated teams like the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks to clinch a chance to face James in a must-win game. Davis’ paint protection outmatched the Pacers, along with James’ vocal leadership and processing, and the Lakers’ versatile wing defenders.
“Yeah, we’re sick, frustrated,” Haliburton said. “We just got outplayed tonight from the start of the game to the end of the game. Just didn’t do the job on loose balls, didn’t rebound, didn’t get enough stops when needed. They just outplayed us, and it’s frustrating.
“Every team doesn’t have Anthony Davis and a bunch of 6-8, 6-9 wings, so there’s that, as well. Just understanding how different looks are going to come. This doesn’t have a regular-season feel at all. I’m used to playing LeBron whatever he plays, 30, 35 minutes. It felt like he and AD never came off the floor. It was like a playoff-type deal.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers, Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers Updates
Haliburton, who finished with 20 points and 11 assists, had never played in an NBA playoff during his career thus far, making a simulated environment a helpful learning experience for himself and the team as a collective. Managing to reach the playoffs becomes more enticing for the Pacers to achieve after experiencing the NBA Cup title game.
“Just getting accustomed to that was good for me and makes me want to play some more games that have some meaning to them,” he said. “So handle the season the right way so I can get to the playoffs and feel that.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers, Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers Updates
While the Pacers were able to discover more about themselves as an unproven team, the Lakers — coming off a Western Conference Finals appearance — were able to use the NBA In-Season Tournament as a way to evaluate where they stand for the rest of the season with the championship in mind.
“I just try to do everything I can to win a basketball game,” Davis said. “Obviously, my teammates put me in a great position to be successful. Obviously, this is special for us, just winning the inaugural In-Season Tournament. But we want to also win the same thing in June.
“It’s a step in the right direction, obviously, but even though it’s a big performance, it’s another game, and we’ve got to continue to get going starting back on Tuesday.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers, Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers Updates
For now, the Lakers can forever stake their claim as the first-ever NBA In-Season Tournament champions. Given the accolades the franchise has achieved throughout its history, adding another feat into the mix only adds to the story.
“I don’t think it’s even about the MVP; it’s about us coming together to win this thing,” James told ESPN’s Malika Andrews during the trophy ceremony. “This is the [inaugural] in-season tournament. … Records will be broken, but one thing that will never be broken is to be the first to do something. And we’re the first champions of the in-season tournament, and nobody can ever top that, and it’s great to do it with a historical franchise and just a great cast of funny, engaged, competitive men over here.”
