2000 NBA Finals Game-By-Game Breakdown: Pacers vs Lakers
2000 NBA Finals Game-By-Game Breakdown: Pacers vs Lakers
Here’s a game-by-game breakdown of the 2000 NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and Los Angeles Lakers:
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Game 1: Lakers 104, Pacers 87
- Date: June 7, 2000
- Location: Staples Center, Los Angeles
- Key Highlights: Shaquille O’Neal dominated with 43 points and 19 rebounds. The Lakers took control early, leading by 15 after the first quarter. Despite a brief Pacers rally in the third, the Lakers pulled away in the fourth.
Game 2: Lakers 111, Pacers 104
- Date: June 9, 2000
- Location: Staples Center, Los Angeles
- Key Highlights: Shaq continued his dominance with 40 points and 24 rebounds. Kobe Bryant left early with an ankle injury, but Ron Harper stepped up with 21 points. The Pacers’ Jalen Rose scored 30, but the Lakers held on.
Game 3: Pacers 100, Lakers 91
- Date: June 11, 2000
- Location: Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
- Key Highlights: Reggie Miller scored 33 points, leading the Pacers to their first win. The Pacers capitalized on Kobe’s absence, building a 17-point lead and holding off a late Lakers rally.
Game 4: Lakers 120, Pacers 118 (OT)
- Date: June 14, 2000
- Location: Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
- Key Highlights: Shaq had 36 points and 21 rebounds, while Kobe returned to score 28, including clutch shots in overtime. Despite Reggie Miller’s 35 points, the Lakers edged out the Pacers in a thriller.
Game 5: Pacers 120, Lakers 87
- Date: June 16, 2000
- Location: Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
- Key Highlights: Jalen Rose scored 32 points, and the Pacers dominated from start to finish. They hit six straight three-pointers early and handed the Lakers their worst Finals loss since 1985.
Game 6: Lakers 116, Pacers 111
- Date: June 19, 2000
- Location: Staples Center, Los Angeles
- Key Highlights: Shaq sealed the series with 41 points and 12 rebounds. The Pacers led for much of the game, but the Lakers surged in the fourth quarter, with key contributions from Derek Fisher and Robert Horry.
