LeBron James entered the fourth quarter Wednesday dealing with the specter of ending his NBA report for consecutive double-digit scoring video games.
He ended it with one other iconic second.
The 40-year-old James secured the ultimate of his 13 factors with a buzzer-beating tip-in, lifting the Los Angeles Lakers to a 120-119 victory over the Indiana Pacers and lengthening his double-digit scoring streak to 1,283 video games. Not that James was conserving observe.
“It’s whatever it takes to help your teammates win,” James said after a replay review confirmed the winning basket. “I can do different issues to affect the sport. That’s the great thing about my recreation. I’ve at all times constructed it my complete life so far as being three-dimensional, with the ability to get my guys concerned, with the ability to rebound, defend and sprinkle some factors in right here and there.”
The league’s profession scoring chief has finished excess of sprinkle his factors round, particularly in opposition to the Pacers. And Wednesday was no completely different. He flirted with a triple-double, ending with 13 factors, 13 rebounds and 7 assists regardless of going simply 4 of 12 from the sphere and 0 for 3 on 3-pointers.
And this time, it appeared the Pacers may get the higher hand on their previous nemesis.
They had held him to 0-for-6 taking pictures with three factors via the primary three quarters, forcing the ball out of his arms as Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves delivered factors. Suddenly, statisticians had been checking James’ lowest single-game area purpose totals and reflecting on his final single-digit recreation, an eight-point effort in opposition to Milwaukee on Jan. 5, 2007.
But simply because it appeared historical past may be made because the Pacers charged again from a 17-point deficit to shut to 95-92 after three quarters, James re-emerged.
“Obviously, I know I can score the ball,” he said. “But till we discover a bit of rhythm offensively or regardless of the case could also be, the defensive facet is an important for our ballclub.”
James made his first basket 49 seconds into the fourth quarter. His subsequent one got here 37 seconds later. That was adopted by two free throws and a driving layup to present him 11 factors and the Lakers a 105-92 lead with roughly 9 1/2 minutes to play.
It did not final.
The Pacers charged again two extra occasions, retaking the lead for the ultimate time on Tyrese Haliburton’s three-point play with 42.2 seconds to go. That gave Indiana a 119-118 lead, placing the struggling Lakers in peril of dropping their fourth straight.
James refused to let it occur, although, as Doncic took a midrange shot that bounced off the rim with the clock about to run out. And then, out of nowhere, got here James.
“I was just trying to read the ball off the rim,” James said. “It sort of regarded prefer it was a bit of brief, however I knew it had an opportunity to bounce in if it hit the entrance rim. Once it got here out, I sort of needed to faucet it with sufficient time. Obviously, you may in all probability see me trying over on the Jumbotron to see if I truly bought it in time and it was an excellent play for us.”
And one more irritating chapter within the Pacers rivalry with James, who twice eradicated the Pacers within the Eastern Conference finals throughout his time with Miami and twice extra within the first spherical after he returned to Cleveland.
“It’s the first time I’ve ever been walked off in the NBA, so probably fitting,” Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton said after chatting with James following the game. “It was clearly a fantastic play by a fantastic participant.”
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