In-Season Championship: LeBron James, Anthony Davis lead L.A. to inaugural NBA Cup
Anthony Davis showcases his scoring prowess with a remarkable 41 points and demonstrates his dominance on defense as the Lakers conquer the Pacers to claim the NBA Cup.
The Los Angeles Lakers, one of the most iconic basketball teams, have made history by becoming the first-ever champions of the NBA In-Season Tournament. This remarkable achievement was secured through their impressive 123-109 triumph over the formidable Indiana Pacers after a grueling and intense battle on the court. In this game, Anthony Davis showcased his dominance by scoring an impressive 41 points, grabbing 20 rebounds, dishing out five assists, and blocking four shots. On the other hand, LeBron James, with his outstanding performance throughout the entire event, was rightly awarded the title of 1st MVP.Â
Throughout the bulk of the game, the Lakers maintained their lead, but the determined Pacers continued to find ways to stay in the game, ultimately slashing the deficit to just three points in the middle of the fourth quarter, with the score standing at 102-99. Just a few moments later, the scoreboard read 115-99, showing that the Lakers had swiftly retaliated with a remarkable 13-0 run, effectively sealing the fate of the game.Â
Apart from receiving a trophy, each Lakers player on standard contracts earned a sum of $500,000, while the Pacers were each granted $200,000. The players who have two-way deals will receive half of those amounts as their take-home pay.
The tournament and title game showcased an atmosphere that combined the intensity of NBA playoffs with the do-or-die nature of the one-and-done NCAA Tournament, and both the Pacers and Lakers played with a sense of urgency as if their entire seasons were at stake.
Upon arriving in Las Vegas, Los Angeles found themselves in a situation where they were essentially the home team, playing in front of a capacity crowd on Saturday and performing with such confidence and ease that it seemed as if they had been in this position countless times before. The Pacers, in contrast to other teams, are facing a unique situation as they persistently work towards demonstrating their ability to compete at a championship level.
Let me provide you with a few key takeaways that I gathered from the game.
Bully-ball anyone?
One of the main focal points that caught our attention as we entered this game was the striking difference in styles exhibited by the two teams. When discussing finesse in basketball, it is impossible not to mention the Pacers, as they are famous for playing the ultimate finesse game. One thing they are known for is their ability to shoot three-pointers, another is their fast-paced playing style, and they rarely focus on defending. In contrast to expectations, the Lakers represent the opposite end of the spectrum. Their primary objective is to engage in a physical style of basketball, asserting dominance in the paint and minimizing their reliance on three-point shots. The speed with which it became clear that the Lakers would be the team in control, dictating the terms of engagement, was remarkable. The game that took place was a bully-ball game.
It was an impressive display of dominance as the Lakers completely controlled the competition. They almost doubled the paint points for Indiana, with a score of 86 compared to 44. The margin for rebounding was nearly as significant, with the Lakers prevailing by a score of 55 to 32. Myles Turner, Indiana's sole dependable big man, found himself in foul trouble during the fourth quarter, ultimately fouling out after making just 3 of his 11 shots and failing to register a single block. It is important to note that not all opponents will have the same level of stylistic definition as the Pacers. Playoff opponents will be able to adjust to the Lakers’ size.
Nonetheless, it was undeniable from this game that the Lakers possess a superior ability to win this specific style of game compared to any other team in the NBA. Taking everything into account, it is worth mentioning that both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid were participants in this tournament and had the chance to play against Indiana. Neither of them showed the same level of dominance inside as Anthony Davis did.Â
Lakers take Haliburton out of the game
Having seen Tyrese Haliburton's exceptional displays in defeating both the Celtics and Bucks, the Lakers were resolute in preventing a repeat occurrence. Despite Haliburton's impressive performance of 20 points and 11 assists, shooting 8-of-14 from the field, he was unable to make his usual impact on the game. The Lakers made a decision that he would not be able to defeat them, and their prediction turned out to be correct.
By employing an aggressive strategy, the Lakers consistently deployed a multitude of tall and agile defenders to challenge Haliburton throughout the entire game, resulting in him frequently relinquishing possession of the ball much sooner than he had initially desired. Although Haliburton is known for his willingness to pass, he prefers to drive towards the basket and force the defense to collapse before making a decision to either pass to his teammate in the paint or kick it out to the open shooters. As a result, he was forced to relinquish it prematurely, resulting in other Pacers assuming decision-making roles, which ultimately benefitted the Lakers.
The game was different this time, with higher stakes involved. The Lakers, known for their distinctive defensive personnel, posed an intriguing test. It remains to be seen if other teams will try to imitate their defensive scheme against Haliburton. Without their star point guard orchestrating everything, the Pacers seemed out of sync.Â
The Pacers’ bench deserve a word
Tyrese Haliburton was a relatively unknown player to casual fans before the Pacers' In-Season Tournament run. The same can be said for players like TJ McConnell, Aaron Nesmith, and Isaiah Jackson, who were virtually unknown. That should no longer be the case after witnessing the impressive performance of the Pacers during the tournament on their way to the championship game.
McConnell's performance as a backup point guard was nothing short of a clinic, as he utilized his sneaky steals, offensive rebounds, and seasoned moves in the paint. Nesmith came up big with clutch shots against the Celtics and then stepped up to guard both Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James in consecutive matchups. Meanwhile, Jackson successfully defended against top big men like Antetokounmpo, Lopez, and Davis.
The IST will serve as a launching pad for Haliburton since NBA coverage mainly focuses on the stars. However, the Pacers' bench crew did not receive the same recognition, but it was cool to see them get a lot of attention on national TV for a week. Plus, a nice bonus check is always a welcome addition.Â
A dry-run for the playoffs
Teams had a unique chance to play playoff-style basketball in the winter with the In-Season Tournament. Although circumstances may vary, it's valuable to note a coach's reliance in important games. Darvin Ham provided insight into his thought process, and the answer is quite unexpected, given our pre-season expectations.
It was evident that LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Austin Reaves excelled at closing out important games. With his stature and contract, D'Angelo Russell was bound to end up in one of those closing slots. However, what about the fifth player in that lineup? In the tournament final, Cam Reddish played 33 crucial minutes and achieved a team-best +24 point-differential.
Reddish's performance for the Lakers has been exceptional this year. He's their top defender at the point-of-attack, and his overall progress as a player is impressive. This was a player who couldn’t even get into the rotation for the Knicks. Currently, he's taking care of all the minor details for a bona fide contender. In recent years, the Lakers have seen numerous success stories with minimum-salary free agents. It appears that Reddish is their most recent winner.
This was Anthony Davis from 2020
Doesn't what you saw from Davis look incredibly familiar? The similarity between this and the dominant Davis of the Bubble Finals, who emerged victorious and claimed That "Other" Championship, was eerie.
On Saturday, he was without a doubt the most outstanding player on the court, relentlessly dominating the Pacers in the paint throughout the entire night. He showcased his skills by scoring an impressive 41 points, shooting 16-for-24, while also grabbing an astonishing 20 rebounds and blocking four shots. He sent Myles Turner to the bench, loaded up with fouls and hurt feelings.
It is not surprising to reiterate that, on multiple occasions, it has been proven that when Davis is focused, assertive, and in good health, there are very few big men in this league who can match his abilities on both offense and defense.
Ignoring the pain he experienced after being struck in the third quarter, Saturday marked a crucial moment for him. The atmosphere inside T-Mobile Arena was filled with silence, as the overwhelming Lakers crowd could sense that Davis' night had come to an end.
As a matter of fact, his night had only just begun.
LeBron's chances of winning this tournament, let alone this game, are completely dependent on Davis playing at his best and avoiding any injuries that would force him to sit on the bench. The occurrence of neither event took place, allowing the Lakers to completely dominate the game.
Thank you for dedicating your time to reading the article, and we hope you will remain engaged for future updates.
By subscribing below, you can ensure that you stay notified with fresh content, especially if you find this article illuminating.
That was a crazy game. The Lakers pulled away in the end, but the Pacers definitely deserve some credit.
It was very exciting to see AD return to his old form from the bubble, and a few games since the IST final, it's nice to see that this form was not a one off high performance for the championship. I am also glad that you mentioned the Pacers bench as they were fun to watch during the game. What is also nice for them is the brief exposure to a playoff atmosphere for such a young performing team.