Five takeaways from the Lakers’ 115-108 loss to the Pacers

Even a glance at the schedule before the season started would have indicated the Lakers had a tough road ahead during their first road trip. That’s proven true and it won’t get any easier. The second game of the Lakers’ first back-to-back comes against the 3-0 Atlanta Hawks.

Here are five takeaways from the Lakers’ 115-108 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night.

1. The Lakers might have been able to overcome their poor shooting night had they been better in some other areas. Again, turnovers were a major problem. The Lakers committed 20 turnovers that led to 27 Pacers points.

2. Fouling also remained a problem. The Pacers attempted 29 free throws and the Lakers committed 25 fouls. This early in the season, we can’t call it a trend yet. But four games in, the Lakers rank sixth in the league among teams that commit the most fouls. They’re averaging 24 personal fouls per game. Opponents are taking 28.3 free throws per game, which is also the sixth highest total in the league.

3. But we should talk about the shooting. In the Lakers season-opening win, they made more than 50% of the shots they took. It’s no coincidence that their three-game losing streak has come with a significant dip in that number. During their past three games, the Lakers have been shooting 41.2% from the field. Lakers Coach Luke Walton isn’t especially concerned with this because they are getting open looks. As long as they’re taking good shots he wants them to keep doing it.

4. Larry Nance Jr. played terrifically on defense for the Lakers, even as he struggled offensively early in the game. The Lakers had eight steals and Nance accounted for six of them. “He’s a very intelligent player,” Lakers Coach Luke Walton said. “He’s got great hands. When he’s out there he’s always looking to get steals and make reads. He does a good job of that and tonight he was on point with that.”

5. Late in the game, the Lakers were trying to double Indiana star Paul George with D’Angelo Russell and Julius Randle. Walton said the Lakers wanted to get Randle’s size and quickness on George, but their plans didn’t deter George. “I just had an opportunity to try to win the game for us and took advantage of it,” George said. “I thought the matchups, they had me matched up against a point guard, were something that Nate [McMillan, Pacers coach] saw and he called the plays for me. I knew I had to continue to be aggressive, especially since I felt they would guard me the same way.”