Lakers Are Pounded by the Pacers

INDIANAPOLIS —  The Indiana Pacers streaked to a 29-point halftime lead and coasted past the Lakers, 127-110, Thursday night for their third consecutive victory.

Reggie Miller scored 24 points and Detlef Schrempf added 22 as the Pacers beat the Lakers for the third straight time. Indiana swept the two-game season series last year, including a 28-point win on the road that was the Lakers’ worst loss in 18 years.

This one nearly matched that rout, but the Lakers rallied to make it look close in the fourth quarter. Los Angeles scored the first eight points of the period and held the Pacers scoreless for 3 1/2 minutes. The Lakers drew as close as 14 points on three occasions.

George McCloud had 20 points for the Pacers in his first start at small forward since the opening 11 games of the season. Dale Davis added 14 points and 15 rebounds for Indiana.

Anthony Peeler scored 25 points for the Lakers. He came off the bench to score 18 in the second half.

The Pacers took control with two big runs in the first half, a 22-6 spurt in the opening quarter and a 25-9 surge in the second quarter that made it 63-38. It was 74-45 at halftime.

The Pacers shot 60.8 percent for the half, including 80 percent (16 of 20) in the second quarter. The Lakers shot 37 percent in the first half.