Lakers can’t keep up with Indiana Pacers in 118-98 loss

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Lakers continued to stagger, losing to the Indiana Pacers, 118-98, Tuesday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

The game was close at halftime, and then it wasn’t, as the Lakers’ offense stifled for the last 24 minutes by the league’s top-ranked defense.

The Pacers own the NBA’s best overall (43-13) and home records (27-3).

The Lakers (19-38) fell further behind the Sacramento Kings for the Western Conference’s worst record.

Kent Bazemore had his third career-high in as many games, scoring 23 points, though he made only eight of 19 shots.

In the first half, the Lakers seemed happy to be away from Staples Center, where they have lost nine of their last 10 games.

They trailed the Pacers at halftime, 57-54, but their offense faltered from there as they got careless with the ball (seven turnovers in the third quarter).

Pacers forward Paul George had 20 points on six-for-18 shooting. He did not play in the fourth quarter. Lance Stephenson was the only Pacers starter to play in the fourth quarter.

THIRD QUARTER

The Lakers are quickly losing any chance at upsetting the Indiana Pacers.

They gave ground badly in the third quarter and trailed going into the fourth, 91-70, Tuesday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Turnovers were the main problem, the Lakers committing eight in the quarter, along with an almost predictable slow-down in scoring. The Lakers managed only 16 points in the third, making six of 18 shots against the NBA’s top defense.

Kent Bazemore was on his way to a third career-high in his last three games, but his scoring touch stalled after 13 points in the first half. Bazemore missed all four of his third-quarter shots and had 15 points going into the final quarter.

Paul George has 20 points and George Hill has 14 for the Pacers (42-13).

HALFTIME

The Lakers emerged from the first half and were’t overly embarrassed.

They trailed the Indiana Pacers, 57-54, at halftime Tuesday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Kent Bazemore continued his solid start with the Lakers, scoring 13 points and developing decent chemistry with Pau Gasol, finding him on a couple of occasions after drives.

Gasol, though, had trouble converting, scoring seven points on three-for-nine shooting.

George Hill and David West each had nine points for the Pacers, who shot only 41.4% in the first half.

Bazemore made four of eight shots and all four of his free-throw attempts.

FIRST QUARTER

The Lakers trailed the Indiana Pacers, 30-23, after the first quarter Tuesday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

George Hill had nine points for the Pacers, who entered with the NBA’s best record (42-13), not to mention a 26-3 mark at home.

Kent Bazemore had nine points and Pau Gasol added seven for the Lakers, who were beginning a quick road trip.

The Lakers (19-37) play at Memphis on Wednesday before returning home for a Friday game against Sacramento.

The Pacers own the NBA’s best defense, allowing only 90.9 points a game. The Lakers made only eight of 24 shots in the first quarter (33.3%).

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