LA Lakers to battle Indiana Pacers in NBA In-Season tournament final (1 Viewer)

The Los Angeles Lakers and Indiana Pacers both secured exciting wins in the NBA In-Season tournament semi-finals on Thursday night, earning their spots in the championship game.

The Pacers overcame an early setback to defeat the Milwaukee Bucks 128-119, while the Lakers dominated the New Orleans Pelicans with a decisive 133-89 victory in Las Vegas.

In a thrilling matchup at T-Mobile Arena, the Pacers, led by Tyrese Haliburton, staged a comeback against the Bucks, who had a three-point lead entering the fourth quarter. Haliburton showcased his skills once again, recording a double-double with a team-high 27 points and 15 assists, along with zero turnovers. Myles Turner also contributed significantly with 26 points and 10 rebounds.

Despite Giannis Antetokounmpo's impressive performance of 37 points and 10 rebounds for the Bucks, it wasn't enough to secure the win. The 29-year-old star acknowledged Haliburton's outstanding contribution, recognizing the Pacers' standout player in the semi-final clash.

"I believed my whole life that your point guard is your pace, and with the pace that your point guard plays, that's the pace that the team plays, and he plays at an incredible pace," Antetokounmpo told ESPN.
"He plays fast, quick when he needs to. When we went to zone, he kind of slowed down and all of his team slowed down and got to their spots.

"Whenever he rebounds the ball, he always looks for outlets and puts -- gets his teammates involved early in the game or early in the offence. So, as I said, you've got to tip the hat. He's a great player."

A few hours following the Pacers' triumph, the Lakers also found themselves trailing in the first quarter against the Pelicans. However, the offensive prowess of the New Orleans team diminished as the game progressed.

While the Pelicans managed to score 54 points in the first and second quarters, their performance took a hit, and they were limited to only 35 points in the third and fourth quarters against the Lakers. LeBron James played a crucial role for the Lakers once again, contributing another 30 points to their total. Anthony Davis added 16 points and 15 rebounds to the team's effort, while the Pelicans' top scorer was Trey Murphy III with 14 points.

The Pacers and Lakers are set to face off in the championship game at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday. It's worth noting that the outcome of this game will not impact the teams' positions in the regular-season standings.