Goga Bitadze hit a three pointer with 10:04 remaining in the fourth, playing well early in the quarter after struggling in his minutes leading up to it. His three followed up an impressive offensive rebound, helping push the Indiana Pacers to a game high 12-point lead, leading 86-74.
To that point, the Pacers had done a tremendous job keeping the Los Angeles Lakers at arms’ length all night, building an eight-point lead after the first quarter and locking into it in the second and third despite some rough stretches. Indiana’s activity on defense helped limit the Lakers to 20 first quarter points and under 30 for each of the first three quarters.