James, Davis lead Lakers to first In-Season Tournament title

FULL Inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament Championship Award-Ceremony 🏆

LeBron James and Anthony Davis led the Los Angeles Lakers to a 123-109 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday to become the first-ever NBA In-Season Tournament champions.

Following the historic win, James was named the Most Valuable Player, keeping Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton away from snatching the title.

James contributed 24 points, four assists and 11 rebounds, while Davis recorded five assists, 20 rebounds and 41 points.

“We’re the first champions of the in-season tournament, and nobody can ever top that. It’s great to be able to do it with such a historical franchise and even better to do it with a great, great cast of funny, engaged, competitive men over here,” said James.

The Sunday game was breakneck as the Pacers consistently kept their pace with Los Angeles’ points toe-to-toe. Meanwhile, the Lakers sent a persistent offense led by James and Davis.

As the fourth quarter set in, the back-and-forth charges continued until the Pacers faced a downturn in the last five minutes, an opening Davis seized to deliver the finishing touches. He, along with Lakers shooting guard Austin Reaves, closed out the game with dunks and free throws.

“That’s what he does, man. We’ve got a great 1-2 punch. I took care of the semi-final game, he took care of the final game. That’s what it’s all about, holding each other accountable,” said James on Davis.

James highlighted the team’s growth during the tournament, attributing it to the high-intensity games and the players’ newfound comfort in their positions.

While the Sunday game held significance, it did not impact the overall standings in the regular season. Regardless, Davis highlighted the importance of maintaining the Lakers’ momentum.

On the other hand, the Pacers’ Haliburton expressed disappointment over his team’s loss.

“We just got outplayed tonight from the start of the game to the end of the game. Just didn’t do the job on loose balls, didn’t rebound, and didn’t get enough stops when needed. They just outplayed us, and it’s frustrating,” said Haliburton.