\n<\/p>\n
Anthony Davis and LeBron James starred as the Los Angeles Lakers put in their highest-scoring performance in 37 years to hold off the Indiana Pacers.<\/b><\/p>\n
The Lakers won 150-145 with 36 points and 16 rebounds from Davis, while James added 26 points and 10 assists.<\/p>\n
Indiana scored 46 points in the final quarter but the Lakers hit 10 in the last minute for a third successive win.<\/p>\n
“We allowed them to score 145 so it was terrible defensively but we can do what we want offensively,” said Davis.<\/p>\n
“But we’ve got to defend, especially when we’ve got a team [in trouble] like that. We don’t need to give them life, but at this point in the season, a win is a win.”<\/p>\n
The Lakers, who start a run of six away games on Tuesday, are ninth in the Western Conference and have 11 matches remaining in the 82-game regular season. The top eight qualify for the end-of season play-offs.<\/p>\n
The Pacers are sixth in the Eastern Conference and have 10 games to play.<\/p>\n
Elsewhere, Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 30 points and grabbed a season-high 19 rebounds as the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 118-93 to consolidate second position in the Eastern Conference. <\/p>\n
The defeat leaves the Thunder fractionally behind reigning NBA champions the Denver Nuggets in the battle to win the Western Conference.<\/p>\n
The Minnesota Timberwolves are also in the running, with just one win separating the top three after they edged past the Golden State Warriors 114-110. Steph Curry contributed 31 points for the winners.<\/p>\n
The Los Angeles Clippers remain fourth despite a 121-107 defeat by the Philadelphia 76ers.<\/p>\n
The New Orleans Pelicans, who are one place behind the Clippers, heaped more misery on the Detroit Pistons with a 114-101 victory over the NBA’s worst side. The Pistons have now lost 59 of their 71 games.<\/p>\n
And the Miami Heat kept up their play-off push in the Eastern Conference with a 121-84 win over the higher ranked Cleveland Cavaliers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n