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Twitter Erupts on Heartbreak at the Buzzer for LeBron James as Lakers Bottle 17 Pt Lead vs Haliburton’s Pacers

Published 11/29/2022, 1:43 AM EST

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USA Today via Reuters

The NBA world witnessed arguably the biggest upset of the season so far. The Los Angeles Lakers had it all under control. A massive 17 points lead with minutes left in the fourth quarter. The Indiana Pacers seemed to have no way out. However, the Eastern Conference surprise team showed grit and fight that shocked the purple and gold to their core. The smiles turned blank as the Pacers came back from rock bottom. And their efforts were rewarded by the basketball gods as Indiana walked away with a buzzer-beater to end their night perfectly.

The Lakers had all the momentum before coming home for the battle against the Pacers. A three-game winning streak and all their stars healthy, the 17-time champions looked on their way back. The face-off against the Indiana Pacers was a true test of their character. And it’s safe to say they passed until the final moments of the game.

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Despite holding the keys to another win and inching close to a comeback in the season, the mighty purple and gold fell to their own slacking. The Indiana squad hit the Lakers with all their might and walked away with a buzzer-beater from rookie point guard Andrew Nembhard.

The Lakers dig their own downfall

The game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Indiana Pacers will be remembered for a long time. At one point, it seemed the 2020 champions couldn’t do no wrong. They accumulated a 17-point lead with barely any time left in the game. However, no game is over until the buzzer sounds and the Pacers made LA pay for taking it easy. The lead evaporated within no time as Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers hit an onslaught of points. A glimmer of hope arose for the Lakers nation when LeBron James hit a much-needed layup to take the lead.

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Unfortunately, they were in for the heartbreak of the season. The last possession will probably give the Lakers nightmares for a long time. Despite Myles Turner’s missed three, the purple and gold couldn’t secure the ball. From there, Haliburton found Nembhard standing wide open. Likewise, the rookie hit the biggest shot of the night and stole the game away after the buzzer. Likewise, the fans ripped apart the Lakers for losing this battle.

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The Lakers didn’t seem to do any wrong. Anthony Davis was dominant once again, compiling 25 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 blocks for the night. Moreover, Russell Westbrook had the crowd electrified, hitting clutch shots and making plays for his franchise. Brodie added 24 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists in his effort off the bench. On the other hand, the King struggled tonight at his 21 points, shooting just 30% from beyond the arc. However, it was his shot that put the Lakers in command for the last possession. The offense had it going tonight for the 17-time champs. But when it came to stopping Indiana, they had no answer.

USA Today via Reuters

Haliburton led the way in the comeback for the ages. The 22-year-old had a massive 24 points and 14 assists double-double with no turnover, including the game-winning assists. Aaron Nesmith led the late charge, hitting consecutive threes in his 16-point night. In addition, their star rookie, Bennedict Mathurin, added a further 23 points. However, the star of the show was the second-round pick, Andrew Nembhard. Scoring 12 points off the bench, the rookie hit the shot of his life in the 116-115 miracle win for the Indiana Pacers.

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The contest showed all sides of a basketball game. For the Lakers, it opened their eyes to just what their roster is capable of. However, they also witnessed firsthand what letting go of a contest before the buzzer looks like. The Pacers emerged as true winners, not giving up until the end. And it was all worth it.

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Written by:

Anuj Talwalkar

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Anuj Talwalkar is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. He is a student studying at NM College in Mumbai, aspiring to pursue sports management to follow his love for sports. Anuj started following the NBA last year, and he loves to combine his passion for writing with his understanding of basketball.
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Edited by:

Tony Thomas