LeBron James delivered in the final moment as the Los Angeles Lakers edged the Indiana Pacers 120-119 in Indianapolis on Wednesday, snapping a three-game losing streak.
Trailing by 13 in the fourth quarter, Indiana mounted a comeback and took a 119-118 lead with 42 seconds remaining.
With time winding down, Luka Doncic's floater bounced off the rim, but James was there to tip in the rebound with 0.1 seconds left, sealing a crucial victory in the Lakers' playoff push.
James, 40, struggled offensively for most of the night, missing all his field goal attempts through three quarters. However, he finished with 13 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists while making the decisive play in the closing seconds.
"It's another great example of where he doesn’t necessarily have it going early, but he takes over in the fourth quarter and gets rewarded by the basketball gods," Lakers coach J.J. Redick said.
James remained unfazed by his slow start, emphasizing his ability to impact the game beyond scoring.
"Whatever it takes to help your teammates win," James said. "I can always do other things—rebounding, defending, getting my guys involved—and then sprinkle in a few points here and there."
Doncic led the Lakers with 34 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists, while Austin Reaves added 24 points. Rui Hachimura contributed 14.
Indiana’s Bennedict Mathurin led his team with 23 points off the bench, while Tyrese Haliburton had 16 points and 18 assists. Myles Turner finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds as the Pacers saw their five-game winning streak end.
The Lakers (44-28) remain in fourth place in the Western Conference as they aim for a guaranteed playoff spot.
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