Here’s a quick team statistical comparison between the Pacers and Lakers, based on the NBA league leaders:
Points/game: Lakers 5th, Pacers 17th
FG%: Lakers 14, Pacers 27
FT%: Lakers 7, Pacers 12
3-pt FG%: Lakers 15, Pacers 26
Off. Reb./gm: Lakers 10, Pacers 24
Def. Reb./gm: Lakers 2, Pacers 5
Rebounds/game: Lakers 2, Pacers 10
Assists/game: Lakers 8, Pacers 19
Steals/game: Lakers 11, Pacers 24
Turnovers/game: Lakers 7, Pacers 28
Blocks/game: Lakers 16, Pacers 3
These numbers clearly reflect the discrepancy between the team’s records (34-11 vs 16-29), but yet in Indiana, the Lakers struggle to win, having earned just three victories to seven losses at Conseco Fieldhouse since it opened in 1999. Of course, the rankings apply only to this season, but the numbers were similarly disparate last season when Troy Murphy’s tip in beat L.A. at the buzzer.
“It’s been a hard place for us to play,” said Phil Jackson. “The Pacers play well here, they have a good fan base; they play a little bit of a different style. They push the ball relentlessly, and they have these angles that they work at that prevent us from doing our normal defensive system.”