Lakers Lock Down 1st NBA Cup 🏆

12/11/2023

By: Jeff Yoder

Anthony Davis (41 Points, 20 Rebounds) Leads Lakers Past Pacers (123-109) to 1st NBA Cup Title

The first-ever NBA In-Season Tournament came to a close on Saturday night in Las Vegas with the Lakers topping the Pacers (123-109) in an awesome display of early-season ball. I think it’s safe to say the NBA Cup has been a success. The Lakers kept blasting Indiana with big runs, but the Pacers kept battling back to keep it close. It was just a three-point game with five minutes to go before LeBron James and Anthony Davis dropped the hammer. Davis was the star of the final, logging 41 points, 20 boards, and four blocks as he and LeBron played bully-ball. However, James won the NBA Cup MVP due to past performances throughout the tournament — and because he’s LeBron. The rising star of Pacers’ point guard Tyrese Haliburton was put to the test, and the Lakers locked him up early and made life difficult. It was just the third time this season Indiana’s high-octane offense was held below 110 points.

NBA Cup Final Stats

A. Davis (LAL): 41 pts, 20 rebs, 5 asts, 4 blks

L. James (LAL): 24 pts, 11 rebs, 4 asts, 2 stls

T. Haliburton (IND): 20 pts, 11 asts

Watch: Anthony Davis, Lakers Bully Pacers in NBA Cup Final (123-109)

NBA Cup Payouts: The Lakers players and coaches received $500,000 apiece for winning the inaugural In-Season Tournament. The Pacers take home $200K each, while teams who made the knockout rounds will receive $100K and $50K based on placement. Quite the haul for an early-year test run of the first-ever NBA IST.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver took a shot and tried something new. At first glance, it appears to have been a huge success.

Yahoo! Sports: Lakers Muscle Through Pacers to Win Inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament

Photo: Anadolu / Getty Images