Nicolas Batum scored a season-high 32 points (18 in the fourth quarter), and the LA Clippers beat the Indiana Pacers 139-133.
The Clippers never trailed and led by as many as 19.
The Pacers got within 133-130 on Caris LeVert’s 9-foot fadeaway with 31 seconds to play, but Reggie Jackson answered with a driving dunk, and the Pacers got no closer than 137-133.
During clutch time, the Clippers outscored the Pacers 6-2. Jackson (No. 7 in clutch points, 2021-22) scored all 6 of the Clippers’ points on 1 for 1 shooting and 4 for 5 at the line.
Jackson had 26 points and 3 steals, and Marcus Morris Sr. added 21 points (9 in the first quarter) and 8 rebounds. Batum scored 18 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter. The Clippers had 3 20-point scorers. Batum and Ivica Zubac set each other up for 6 baskets and 12 points, 3 of them in the fourth quarter.
For the Pacers, LeVert had 26 points and 9 rebounds, and Chris Duarte added 24 points, 6 assists and 3 steals on 10 for 14 shooting off the bench. Goga Bitadze had 17 points and 8 rebounds on 7 for 9 shooting off the bench. The Pacers had 7 players in double-digit scoring.
The Clippers shot 54.9% from the field and 50.0% from 3 to the Pacers’ 51.5% and 39.4%. The Pacers outscored the Clippers 64-42 in the paint. The Clippers’ starters outscored the Pacers 64-51 in 19 minutes together. LeVert fouled out.