The Lakers were 3-7 before meeting the Pacers on March 12 in their first game after the All-Star break. It was very crucial for them to start the second half with a victory, and that’s what they did after defeating the Pacers 105-100. However, it was a hard-fought game where the Lakers trailed for the most part.

A classy effort from the Pacers’ Domantas Sabonis and Malcolm Brogdon went to waste after the Lakers’ bench showed winning resilience. But everyone aside, it was a Kyle Kuzma show from beginning till the end because the confident youngster was craving the ball possession.

When Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma forced LeBron James to pass him

With just six minutes remaining in the game, the Lakers were trailing 88-90. That’s when LeBron James came dribbling with the ball inside a busy paint and passed the ball to a wide-open Kuzma eagerly waiting at the corner. The 22-YO made no mistake and converted a three to reach the 22 points mark.

Just seconds later, LeBron once again found Kuzma waiting to take a three-point attempt, and he sent a corner-to-corner pass towards him.  Kuz did not err and scored yet another three to give the Lakers a crucial lead. 

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Notably, there were many distinct plays in the game where Bron assisted Kuzma and the latter made perfect jump shots to help the scoreboard ticking. In the post-game interview, Kuz revealed how he managed to have those assists come his way. He laughingly explained, “We were looking at each other the entire possession. I was pretty much eye-f****** passing the ball. He found me and I made shot.”

Read also – Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma Details Why Team’s First Half Was a Success Despite Recent Slump

The Lakers sealed the game in the fourth quarter

A double-double effort from the Skills Challenge-winning forward Sabonis and a 29-point game from guard Malcolm Brogdon did give the Pacers a chance to upset the Lakers. The visitors were ahead in the game after Q3, but that’s when the Lakers took off. A painfully poor performance from the three-point range (8/36) cost the Pacers a lot of turnovers.  

In Q4, Montrezl Harrell came off the bench to score 9 points, while Kyle Kuzma added 15 points to snatch the victory away from the Pacers. LeBron James did not look good in the clutch moments as he missed too many field goals and hence he placed his bet on Kuzma who had a better night than every starter. His pick-and-rolls and low turnover added to their efficacy.

Dennis Schroder struggled from the field, and Frank Vogel will not consider this one as a great victory and rather work on the plays ahead of their game against the hungry Warriors. Do you think Steph Curry and his men can upset the Lakers?