3 observations: Anthony Davis, LeBron James lead Lakers past Pacers

It wasn’t smooth, but the Los Angeles Lakers defeated a short-handed Indiana Pacers squad 122-115 in one of the earliest tip-off times of the season.

This matchup featured the returns of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Dennis Schroder, but Indiana was without marquee players like Domantas Sabonis, Malcolm Brogdon and Myles Turner among others.

Both teams exchanged runs throughout the first three quarters, but it wasn’t until the final quarter when the Lakers established a 14-point lead. However, more runs ensued as the gritty Pacers clawed their way back into it.

James scored seven in a row late in the fourth to seal the deal while keeping the hopes for the sixth seed in the playoffs alive.

Here are three observations from the Saturday morning contest:

The LeBron James-Anthony Davis duo couldn't be contained

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Slowing down the production of James and Davis is an arduous task for any team. For a Pacers squad devoid of their two starting big men in Sabonis and Turner, along with T.J. Warren who has been out for a while, Indiana didn't have the personnel to stop Los Angeles' superstars. Davis made Indiana understand that from the outset, dropping 17 points on 7-11 shooting in the first quarter, the most he's scored in the opening 12 minutes this season. He would conclude the contest with 28 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and two steals on 9-18 shooting to go with a 9-10 mark at the charity stripe. For James, passing to his teammates became the primary goal early on. He garnered five assists in the first 6:30 minutes in the first quarter. But as the game progressed, James quickly figured out he could get to the rim with little resistance, opening up the rest of the court. James ended the match with 24 points, eight assists and seven rebounds on 11-22 shooting.

Dennis Schroder still has to acclimate after missed time

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While Davis and James looked like they didn't miss a beat, Schroder struggled to find a rhythm for the entire game after missing two weeks of games due to health and safety protocols. Though Schroder finished with 14 points and four assists, there's much to be desired from his 3-of-9 clip (including 2-of-6 on 3-pointers) from the field. A beaming positive was his ability to draw fouls in the second half, finishing the game 6-6 from the charity stripe. It'll take Schroder more time to acclimate to a new role since he won't handle the ball as much in James' presence, but Los Angeles will need him at his best in order to repeat as NBA champions.

Talen Horton-Tucker's impressive stretch continues

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After dropping 23 points and 10 assists against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, along with 13 points and 10 assists against the New York Knicks the night prior, the Lakers' youngster continues to shine in his second year. Talen Horton-Tucker was the first player off the bench in today's game, and he was arguably their best reserve, too. Horton-Tucker finished with 11 points, two assists, one block and one rebound in 25 minutes. Among his points, Horton-Tucker drilled both of his attempted threes and finished some tough layups down low, which has recently become a staple in his offensive arsenal. His role with the rotation seems to be increasing by the game.

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