December 10, (THEWILL) – The Los Angeles Lakers made history after winning the first-ever NBA In-Season Tournament (IST) Championship in Las Vegas. Behind a dominant 41-point, 20-rebound performance from Anthony Davis, the Lakers defeated the Indiana Pacers 123-109 to capture the inaugural NBA Cup title.
LeBron James, named the IST MVP, added 24 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists in the final. The 4-time NBA champion has now claimed a title that basketball legends Michael Jordan and Bill Russell never had the opportunity to win. His play lifted the Lakers through earlier IST rounds, with 61 total points in the quarter and semi-finals.
The Lakers owned the paint on Saturday, outscoring the Pacers by a staggering 86-44 margin around the rim. They didn’t hit a single 3-pointer for nearly 36 minutes of game time, but Davis shot an efficient 16-24 from the field with several rim-rattling dunks. Austin Reaves set a new season-high with 28 points off the Lakers’ bench despite battling an illness.
For Indiana, Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin each scored 20, but could not counter Los Angeles’ inside dominance. The Pacers will be without guard Andrew Nembhard for at least seven days after he suffered a right knee bruise in the semis.
The tournament offered rich rewards – players on the winning Lakers earned $500,000 each, while the runner-up Pacers took home $200,000 per player. With their inaugural IST championship, the Lakers have now tied the Boston Celtics for most NBA titles at 17 apiece.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
