NBA
LeBron James now 2nd on buzzer-beating ranks, as record streak continues
A strange game, with huge changes in direction, which at least returns the inconsistent Lakers to winning ways.
The last time LeBron James scored fewer than 10 points in an NBA game was January 5, 2007. It’s a stat that’s almost hard to believe. That night, he finished with just eight points in a low-scoring Cavs win in Milwaukee (86–95), despite playing nearly 43 minutes and shooting just 3-for-13 from the field. Since then, every time LeBron has stepped onto an NBA court – 1,283 consecutive games – he’s scored at least 10 points. For context, the second-longest streak belongs to Michael Jordan, with 866. Third is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, at 787.
That remarkable streak was nearly snapped in Indianapolis, at a Gainbridge Fieldhouse where the Pacers had won eight straight. They didn’t make it nine. In the final second, LeBron put back a missed shot from Luka Doncic to beat the buzzer and give the Lakers a 120–119 win.
It was LeBron’s eighth career buzzer-beater – and his first as a Laker. He passes Paul Pierce (7), ties Joe Johnson and Kobe Bryant, and sits just one behind Michael Jordan, who has the most in NBA history. In total, LeBron has hit game-winners against the Pacers with three different teams: the Heat (2013), the Cavs (2018), and now the Lakers (2025). His first buzzer-beater came on January 31, 2009, more than 16 years ago. Of the players in the league back then, only 11 remain active.
LeBron’s slow start, vintage finish
At halftime, LeBron hadn’t made a single field goal – the fifth time in his career, and the first since 2010. After three quarters, he was 0-for-6 from the field and had scored just three points from the free-throw line. But in the fourth, he came alive: eight points in just over two minutes, helping the Lakers survive a stretch with čić resting. In total, he finished with 13 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 assists, shooting 4-for-12 – and sealing a win the Lakers desperately needed.
They entered the game on a three-game skid, with momentum slipping away just weeks before the playoffs. Now at 44–28, they sit 2.5 games behind second-place Houston and share a loss total with Denver and Memphis. Every win counts: the fifth seed won’t have home court in the first round, and the fourth will likely face the Thunder in a potential semifinal. One misstep, and the Clippers or Warriors (each with 31 losses) could sneak past.
Lakers full of flashes and flaws
The win was massive, but the Lakers are still a puzzle of extremes. At their best, they dominate stretches with defensive intensity and fluid offense. At their worst, they unravel. In Indiana, that identity crisis was on full display.
In the second quarter, the Lakers’ defense locked in – outscoring the Pacers 40–22 behind their second unit (with Dorian Finney-Smith and Jarred Vanderbilt making a major impact). But in the third, the defense collapsed. The Pacers went from 7-for-25 shooting in Q2 to 14-for-19 in Q3. A 17-point lead (46–63) vanished, then returned (92–105), then vanished again – culminating in a 119–118 lead for Indiana with under two seconds left.
That’s when LeBron struck.
Pacers collapse in final minute
Rick Carlisle made a bold call in the final minute – pulling Tyrese Haliburton for defensive specialist Jarace Walker, who delivered, stopping Finney-Smith and securing the ball. But with the game on the line, the Pacers didn’t call a timeout. Without Haliburton to organize the possession, Bennedict Mathurin launched a contested three that missed. The Lakers grabbed the rebound, got one final shot – and LeBron tipped it in.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle was questioned postgame for the late-game decisions. Haliburton later admitted: “Looking back, we probably should’ve taken the timeout.” He had 16 points and 18 assists, with just one turnover. Since the All-Star break, he’s posted at least 10 assists in 12 straight games, with 160 assists and only 14 turnovers during that stretch.
Despite shooting 1-for-9 from three, Haliburton orchestrated the offense beautifully at times, feeding Myles Turner (16 points, 4-for-5 from deep) and Mathurin (23 points). The Pacers showed why they’re a dangerous team but also why they may be vulnerable.
So did the Lakers.
This was a game either team could’ve won or lost several times. But in the end, only one team had King James, and only one had a buzzer-beating finish from a player who, at 39 years old, is still bending history to his will.
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23
Aaron Nesmith
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43
Pascal Siakam
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33
Myles Turner
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0
Tyrese Haliburton
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2
Andrew Nembhard
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13
Tony Bradley
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3
Thomas Bryant
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12
Johnny Furphy
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29
Quenton Jackson
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16
James Johnson
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0
Bennedict Mathurin
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9
T.J. McConnell
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26
Ben Sheppard
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1
Obi Toppin
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5
Jarace Walker
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10
RayJ Dennis
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8
Enrique Freeman
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| Min | Pts | TR | OR | DR | Ast | Los | Rec | Blk | S1 | S2 | S3 | RF | CF | Val | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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23
Aaron Nesmith
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20 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0/0 | 2/3 | 3/6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
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43
Pascal Siakam
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35 | 15 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3/4 | 6/11 | 0/1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
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33
Myles Turner
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35 | 16 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0/0 | 2/4 | 4/5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
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0
Tyrese Haliburton
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31 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1/1 | 6/7 | 1/9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
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2
Andrew Nembhard
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39 | 16 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3/3 | 5/7 | 1/2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
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13
Tony Bradley
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0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
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3
Thomas Bryant
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1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
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12
Johnny Furphy
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
29
Quenton Jackson
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
16
James Johnson
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
0
Bennedict Mathurin
|
30 | 23 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7/8 | 5/11 | 2/5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
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9
T.J. McConnell
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11 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0/0 | 1/5 | 1/1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
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26
Ben Sheppard
|
6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
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1
Obi Toppin
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18 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/1 | 2/2 | 2/5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
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5
Jarace Walker
|
7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2/2 | 0/1 | 1/1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
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10
RayJ Dennis
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
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8
Enrique Freeman
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
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28
Rui Hachimura
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23
LeBron James
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11
Jaxson Hayes
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77
Luka Dončić
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15
Austin Reaves
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17
Dorian Finney-Smith
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30
Jordan Goodwin
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|
4
Dalton Knecht
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|
10
Christian Koloko
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27
Alex Len
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20
Shake Milton
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88
Markieff Morris
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|
5
Cam Reddish
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2
Jarred Vanderbilt
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|
7
Gabe Vincent
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|
9
Bronny James Jr.
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|
55
Trey Jemison III
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| Min | Pts | TR | OR | DR | Ast | Los | Rec | Blk | S1 | S2 | S3 | RF | CF | Val | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
28
Rui Hachimura
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27 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2/2 | 0/1 | 4/4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
|
23
LeBron James
|
37 | 13 | 13 | 3 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5/5 | 4/9 | 0/3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
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11
Jaxson Hayes
|
18 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1/3 | 6/6 | 0/0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
|
77
Luka Dončić
|
37 | 34 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6/7 | 5/11 | 6/10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
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15
Austin Reaves
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36 | 24 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 7/7 | 7/8 | 1/8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
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17
Dorian Finney-Smith
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31 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0/0 | 1/2 | 3/5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
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30
Jordan Goodwin
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7 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 1/3 | 0/1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
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4
Dalton Knecht
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5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 1/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
10
Christian Koloko
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
27
Alex Len
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
20
Shake Milton
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
88
Markieff Morris
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
5
Cam Reddish
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
2
Jarred Vanderbilt
|
16 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
|
7
Gabe Vincent
|
22 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/1 | 2/5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
|
9
Bronny James Jr.
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
55
Trey Jemison III
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |