Pacers rookie Nembhard hits game-winner as Lakers blow 17-point 4th quarter lead

Tyrese Haliburton scored 24 points and dished out 14 assists and Andrew Nembhard hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer as the visiting Indiana Pacers rallied from a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers 116-115 on Monday night (Tuesday, November 29, Manila time).

LeBron James gave the Lakers a 115-113 lead with 20.9 seconds remaining before the Pacers got two chances at a go-ahead 3-pointer, the first from Myles Turner with 5.6 seconds left. Haliburton grabbed the rebound and found Nembhard, who nailed a 25-footer as time expired.

Rookie Bennedict Mathurin scored 23 points for the Pacers, while Aaron Nesmith had 16 points. Turner had 15 points and 13 rebounds for Indiana, and Buddy Hield added 15 points. Nembard scored 12 points, hitting four 3-pointers.

Anthony Davis scored 25 points for the Lakers, while Russell Westbrook added 24 off the bench. James had 21 for Los Angeles, which entered with five victories in its past six games.

Davis contributed 13 rebounds and six assists after missing a victory Saturday over the San Antonio Spurs with a bruised left calf. Austin Reaves had 13 points for Los Angeles, while Troy Brown Jr. pulled down 10 rebounds.

The Lakers opened a double-digit lead for the first time at 71-61 with 8:28 remaining in the third quarter after a floating jumper from Dennis Schroder. Los Angeles carried a 93-84 lead into the fourth quarter after leading by as many as 14 in the third.

After the Lakers took a 101-84 lead with 9:59 remaining, the Pacers went on a 10-0 run to pull within 101-94 with 7:38 to go. Indiana later went on a 13-3 run to pull within 110-109 with 2:11 left.

After Indiana tied it at 113-113 with 39.8 seconds to play on a Haliburton layup, James made a shot inside for a 115-113 Lakers lead.

Hield has gone 2 of 15 from 3-point range over the past two games as the Pacers have gone 1-1 at the start of a seven-game road trip through the Western Conference.

James, who missed six games because of injury this month, including five due to a groin strain, went to the locker room six minutes into the game when he rolled his left ankle. He returned in the second quarter. – Rappler.com