LOS ANGELES (AP) – If Roy Hibbert and the Indiana Pacers keep knocking off the NBA’s biggest names, it might not be too long before these youngsters are right up there with the superstars they’re beating.
Hibbert had 24 points and 12 rebounds, and Kobe Bryant scored 41 points but missed two tying 3-point attempts in the final seconds of Indiana’s landmark 95-92 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night.
Danny Granger added 18 points for the Pacers, who followed up their surprising road win over Miami six days ago with an even more stunning victory in Los Angeles’ banner-festooned home in the opener of a four-game road trip.
“To come into L.A. and beat the world champions on their home court is a huge win for us,” Granger said. “It gives us a lot of motivation and confidence on this West Coast road trip.”
Hibbert was blissfully unaware his Pacers had never beaten the Lakers on the road since Staples Center opened its doors in 1999, not even in three tries in the 2000 NBA finals. Indiana had lost 11 straight regular-season games to the Lakers on the road since its last win on Feb. 14, 1999, shortly before Staples Center opened.
“We know this is a big win for us, but we can play with anybody,” Hibbert said. “We don’t want to get too high off this moment. In the future, we don’t want this to be a surprise.”
