Heartbreaking setback for Mathurin and the Pacers

Despite a rather comfortable lead in the first half, the Indiana Pacers let the Los Angeles Lakers gain confidence to finally escape the game 112 to 111, Thursday night, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.  

At the Pacers, Quebecer Bennedict Mathurin delivered one of his worst performances of the season. The 20-year-old had five points while shooting just three baskets, including one from downtown. The Montrealer added four rebounds in 20 minutes on the floor.

This is his second-lowest point total in 2022-2023. On Jan. 8, Mathurin had just four points against the Charlotte Hornets.

The Pacers got off to a strong start by taking a 13-point lead at halftime. That lead, however, melted like snow in the sun, and the Lakers took the lead in the fourth quarter by limiting the local favorites to 15 points.

LeBron James is a man on a mission, trying to outrun the great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the leading scorer in NBA history. “King James” added 26 points to his record against Indiana, putting him just 63 points off the record.

Center Anthony Davis did it again better than his famous teammate with a double-double of 31 points and 14 rebounds.

This is a fourth straight setback for the Pacers (24-29). The Lakers (25-28), meanwhile, are on the mend with a second straight win.