LOS ANGELES -- Caris Levert posted a franchise-record 22 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter, Malcolm Brogdon scored 19 and the Indiana Pacers took the pressure off Lakers coach Frank Vogel in a 111-104 win over Los Angeles on Wednesday night . ,
Domantas Sabonis had 20 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in his 17th career triple-double for the Pacers, breaking a four-game losing streak with his second win in 12 games. Eastern Conference's 13th-ranked team started 14-2 under Levert, leaving the Lakers behind in the fourth and finished with three consecutive buckets in the last two minutes.
Levert topped Reggie Miller's previous pacers' fourth-quarter record of 21 points. He scored 9 for 10 with three 3-pointers in his scintillating final period.
"I knew I felt good," said Levert, limited to 15 minutes of fouls in the first three quarters. "My teammates put me in it. ... my body was feeling great, and I felt locked inside. The foul was certainly disappointing. I knew Malcolm wanted to take a big fourth while sitting in fourth.
Indiana won with great difficulty: Brogdon was on the limit a minute into his return from injury, while Sabonis played on a sprained ankle that "probably was going to be important, but he wasn't coming out of the game," according to the coach. According to Rick Carlisle.
"It was something we desperately needed," Carlisle said. "It's been a while since we've won a game. ... These are all big challenges. We're finding out more about the team all the time."
LeBron James had 30 points and 12 rebounds for the Lakers - including the 10,000th of his career - having lost four out of five to fall below .500. Talen Horton-Tucker added 20 points in the latest embarrassing defeat over the course of a season for the 17-time champions franchise.
"There's a lot of disappointment, for sure," James said. "I think we have a good enough team to win the ballgame and go over .500. But our record is... we are who we are. We have a road trip coming up and we're going to have a lot of great teams. Will be tested together."
Russell Westbrook scored 14 points on 5-for-17 shooting, and Vogel put the struggling former NBA MVP on the Lakers bench for the final 3:52.
Indiana lagged behind for most of the first three quarters, leading with 10 consecutive points before advancing early in the fourth, including eight from LeVert. The Pacers consolidated the stretch with more large baskets by Levert, while the Lakers struggled to score with the lineup used by Vogel.
The Lakers took a 15-point lead in the first half, but Indiana erased it with several minutes remaining in the third quarter, taking their first lead in two games at the Crypto.com Arena. The Pacers never took the lead, giving the Clippers 139 points on Monday.
Tip-ins
Pacers: Brogdon played through a right-handed Achilles tendon which kept him out of the last two games. ... Jeremy Lamb scored five points while playing with a pain in his left knee. ... TJ McConnell went over the NBA's health and safety protocols. He hasn't played since December 1 following surgery on his right wrist.
Lakers: Anthony Davis missed his 15th game in a row since December 17 with a sprained left knee, but he was on the court during his team's morning shootaround. Los Angeles is deliberately bringing back their star Big Man from his latest major injury. ... Carmelo Anthony scored 14 points in his return from a three-game absence with a lower back stiffness.
Under pressure
Ninety minutes before this debacle began, Vogel dismissed widespread rumors of his expected firing if the Lakers did not make immediate progress in their mediocre season. Vogel led Los Angeles to a championship just 15 months earlier, but only three players — and Dwight Howard, who left and returned — remained from that title team.
"It's everyone. It's all of us," Vogel said. "We have to coach better. We have to play better. Everything must be better."
In their last three games, the Lakers posted an impressive victory over Utah amid humiliating defeats to Denver and Indiana.
"We have high hopes," Vogel said before the game. "This fan base really cares. It's a huge market. I don't want it any other way to be honest with you. I want people to care."
Next
Pacer: Thursday at Golden State.
Lakers: To open six-game East Coast road trip Friday in Orlando.