Lakers Crowned Champions of First NBA Cup

In a highly anticipated In-Season Tournament final matchup that had fans on the edge of their seats, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Indiana Pacers squared off in a thrilling game Saturday night. The fight between these two teams was promised to be an intense battle on the court, as both sides were aiming to make a statement by winning this tournament and asserting their dominance in the league. 

The atmosphere for this one in T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas was surely electric as the In-Season Tournament’s main purpose is to allow teams to showcase their skills in a high-stakes setting during the regular season. While neither one of these teams would have been the favorite to win their respective conferences heading into this tournament, when we look at how players on both sides have been playing, we clearly see why both teams made it this far.

While all eyes going into this game for the Lakers were focused on LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Pacers had a third scorer they had to watch out for in this one as shooting guard Austin Reaves was on a mission to win this game. Reaves finished the game with 28 points, 22 of which he scored in the first half. James and Davis were great again of course though scoring 24 points and 11 rebounds and 41 points, 20 rebounds, and 4 blocks, respectively. Could Davis have played better in this game? I don’t personally think so, as he looked like prime Shaquille O’Neal throughout this whole matchup.

Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton led the way offensively again for Indiana, finishing with 20 points and 11 assists. While shooting guard Benedict Mathurin did have a great game also with 20 points and the Pacers had several other players who finished with double figures, it just seemed like they could never keep up with Los Angeles in this one. 

While the Lakers were only up 65-60 at halftime, as the second half went on the lead continued to grow and they ended up winning 123-109. Los Angeles may have won this game but both teams have delivered memorable performances throughout this year’s NBA Cup. As the league continues to evolve, games and tournaments like these remind fans why we all fell in love with basketball in the first place. The thrill of watching your favorite players and heroes clash on the hardwood leaves a mark on the collective memory of all NBA fans worldwide.