Player Grades: Lakers vs. Pacers

Grading every Lakers player’s performance from the team’s 120-119 win over the Pacers.

Are you not entertained!

LeBron James has had a 24-hour run that warrants its own “30-for-30”. His day began with him announcing the relaunch of “Mind The Game” with his new co-host Steve Nash.

Then he went on the “Pat McAfee Show” and blasted Stephen A. Smith and Brian Windhorst and ended his night with a game-winning tip-in against the Pacers.

The game was ugly for long stretches. Entering the third quarter, LeBron only had three points, putting his double-digit streak in serious jeopardy.

However, within the first two minutes of the final period, he reached the 10-point mark and in the closing seconds, he helped the Lakers snatch a victory from the jaws of defeat.

So, let’s dive into the win. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.

Rui Hachimura

28 minutes, 14 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 4-5 FG, 4-4 3PT, 2-2 FT, -2

This was Rui’s first start since coming back from his calf strain. He is still on a minute restriction, but had a great game. The Lakers looked much better with him on the floor, and he scored 14 points, going a perfect 4-4 from deep.

Once he gets closer to full health, fans should fully expect him to be a 30-plus minute player and can write his name in the starting lineup in ink at this point.

Grade: A

LeBron James

38 minutes, 13 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, 4-12 FG, 0-3 3PT, 5-5 FT, +5

Okay, let’s talk about the entire game LeBron just had, not just the amazing tip-in. Overall, this performance by James was below his level. He struggled from the field, going 4-12, and his 3-point shot wasn’t there, as he missed all three of his attempts from deep.

Still, he found ways to impact winning by crashing the boards, and in the end, he was great when it mattered. The point of every basketball game is to win, and he did just that. Therefore, his grade will reflect his ability to step up when needed to guarantee the team’s losing streak ended in Indy.

Grade: B

Jaxson Hayes

18 minutes, 13 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 6-6 FG, 1-3 FT, -13

This game started with a Hayes lob dunk, and it was a precursor of things to come on Wednesday night. Hayes was back to his usual production. He had 13 points in 18 minutes and was perfect from the field. Hayes even had a nice block that resulted in a shot clock violation, and he posterized Myles Turner in the second quarter.

After a couple of games where he struggled, it’s nice to see Hayes back in form.

Grade: B+

Luka Dončić

38 minutes, 34 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 block, 11-21 FG, 6-10 3PT, 6-7 FT, -16

Offensively, Luka was certainly feeling it in this game. He had 34 points and shot 60% from three. Defensively, he almost cost the Lakers the result.

Luka was a liability and was getting absolutely torched down the stretch, giving up uncontested layups. I’ve never seen a player get burned on multiple plays in clutch time as badly as Luka did against the Pacers. He’s been a solid defender since joining the Lakers, but this game’s tape won’t be used to make that argument.

Grade: B

Austin Reaves

36 minutes, 24 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 8-16 FG, 1-8 3 PT, 7-7FT, +6

Reaves really got going in the second quarter and helped catapult the Lakers to a lead in the first half. He also had some disgusting turnovers and disappeared for long stretches.

Still, he was a net positive for the team and was also fighting an ankle injury that forced him to head to the locker room momentarily. He returned and played afterward, so he is generally fine, and his dedication and ability to fight through injuries are needed and appreciated on this team.

Grade: B

Dorian Finney-Smith

31 minutes, 11 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 1 block, 4-7 FG, 3-5 3PT, -1

DFS did everything Lakers fans want from him in this game. He played good defense, knocked down three 3-pointers and did his part on the glass.

He has quickly become a player JJ Redick can trust to perform in high-pressure games.

Grade: A-

Jarred Vanderbilt

16 minutes, 0 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 0-1 FG, 0-1 3PT, +24

This was one of the best games Vando has played all year long. He was so aggressive and effective as a defender, grabbed six rebounds and excelled at the intangibles.

Vando’s rotations, help defense and passing really kept the Lakers humming along when he was on the floor. It’s been a mixed bag from Vando this season, but perhaps he can take this game and build on it for the rest of the year.

Grade: B+

Gabe Vincent

22 minutes, 6 points, 1 rebound, 1 steal, 2-6 FG, 2-5 3PT, -8

Vincent was fine in this win. He knocked down a couple of shots and didn’t make any grave mistakes, but didn’t wow or uplift the team either. This was another good, responsible adult game from the Lakers guard.

Grade: B-

Jordan Goodwin, Dalton Knecht

Both Goodwin and Knecht played under 10 minutes, so no grades tonight. Something to note is that this is the last game Goodwin can play with the Lakers under his current two-way contract.

He has maxed out his NBA availability, so if Los Angeles wants him to play in any more Lakers games, they’ll have to sign him to a standard contract.

They’ll also have to waive someone to make room on the roster to do that. If they don’t, this is the last time you’ll see Goodwin suiting up for the main team in 2024-25. Considering he’s been a mainstay in the rotation, I expect them to eventually sign him on.

JJ Redick

Redick made all the right moves in this one. He called timeouts when they were needed, started Rui even though he is still on a minute restriction and got the win. Sure, he needed some LeBron magic after the Luka miss, but a narrow win counts the same as a dominant one.

Wednesday’s DNPs: Alex Len, Shake Milton, Markieff Morris, Cam Reddish, Christian Koloko

Wednesday’s inactives: Bronny James, Maxi Kleber, Trey Jemison III

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.