Here is a by-the-numbers look at the Lakers’ 88-87 victory over the Indiana Pacers
12.4
Seconds left when Kobe Bryant made the game-winning shot. Bryant scored the Lakers’ final nine points, including a corner 3-pointer with two minutes to go, which gave L.A. its first lead since the opening quarter. The 19-year veteran also led the team in rebounds and assists with six apiece, but it was his four-foot-hook shot with a dozen seconds left that pushed the Lakers past Indiana.
“We drew up two options for him and told him to make a decision based on how they played him,” head coach Byron Scott said. “He was able to get to the baskets. When he penetrated, they tried to stay with our shooters, and he sort of had free range.”
22
Points scored by Nick Young, who led all players. The Los Angeles native was perfect on 12 free throw attempts, which tied his career high for foul shots without a miss. However, Young struggled from the field, going just 4-for-12 and 2-for-5 on 3-pointers.
26.1
Percentage shot by the Pacers in the fourth quarter. Defense powered the Lakers past Indiana in the final period, as L.A. held its opponent to a 6-for-23 mark from the field, including a 2-for-7 clip on triples. The Lakers played especially suffocating defense on the game’s final possession, as no Pacer could find an open look, which led to center Roy Hibbert heaving a 20-foot prayer that bounced off the top of the backboard.
50
Rebounds grabbed by the Pacers, who had 13 more boards than the Lakers. Indiana bullied L.A. on the offensive glass, where it held a 16-5 advantage, which led to the Pacers outscoring the home team, 26-2, on second-chance points. However, the Lakers were able to grab boards when it mattered the most, outrebounding the Pacers in the final quarter, 13-12.
93.3
Percentage shot by the Lakers at the free throw line. Led by Young, L.A. went 28-for-30 on foul shots, which was the team’s best performance in terms of volume and accuracy since going 36-for-38 against San Antonio on April 2, 1991. The Lakers shot just 38.0 percent from the field (see below), but free throws kept them in it, as they missed just one in each half.
“Free throws come in handy,” Carlos Boozer said. “Looking at the stat sheet, there have been games that we have lost that came down to free throws. For us to make them and knock them down tonight, it’s probably what let us get (the win).”
Lakers Shot Chart