L.A. Lakers triumph over the New Orleans Pelicans, securing a spot in the mid-season NBA championship finale
In a lopsided contest on December 7 (December 8, Manila time), the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans, securing their place in the championship game of the NBA's in-season tournament. The final score was 133-89, with the Lakers outscoring the Pelicans, 43-17, in the third quarter alone.
LeBron James led the charge for the Lakers, scoring 21 points in the first half and adding another 18 in the second. He finished the game with an impressive 30 points, making all four of his attempts from beyond the arc. James also contributed 8 assists. Anthony Davis put up a double-double with 16 points and 15 rebounds.
Austin Reaves was another standout player for the Lakers, scoring 17 points and dishing out 7 assists. Prince drained a triple with 1:05 left in the second quarter, and James started a 14-0 run for the Lakers in the third quarter with another three-pointer. Reaves made two free throws with 6.1 seconds left in the third quarter, giving the Lakers a 40-point lead.
The Pelicans struggled offensively, hitting only 35.8% of their shots and going 7-of-33 from behind the arc for the game. Jonas Valanciunas hit a three-pointer for the Pelicans with 3:44 remaining in the second quarter, but it wasn't enough to spark a comeback. Trey Murphy III led the Pelicans with 14 points, and Zion Williamson added 13.
The Indiana Pacers advanced to the championship game by defeating the Milwaukee Bucks in the other semifinal. The Lakers will face the Pacers in the championship game on Saturday.
It's important to note that there was no NBA Championship game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Indiana Pacers in 2025. The 2025 NBA Finals featured the Indiana Pacers against the Oklahoma City Thunder, not the Lakers. The Pacers reached the Finals for the second time in franchise history after defeating the Knicks, but they did not face the Lakers that year. The last time the Pacers faced the Lakers in the NBA Finals was back in 2000, where they lost to Los Angeles.
[1] NBA.com
[2] ESPN
[3] Sports Illustrated
[4] NBA.com
[5] CBS Sports
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