In a thrilling finale to the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament, the Los Angeles Lakers emerged victorious, claiming the NBA Cup with a 123-109 win over the Indiana Pacers. The Lakers were led by a dominant performance from Anthony Davis, who recorded season highs of 41 points and 20 rebounds. The tournament MVP, LeBron James, also had a standout game with 24 points and 11 rebounds.

The atmosphere in Las Vegas was electric as Commissioner Adam Silver prepared to present James with the MVP trophy. However, Silver cautioned that the award did not come with a franchise, prompting laughter from James. Nevertheless, James has expressed a serious desire to own an NBA expansion team in Las Vegas.

During a post-game interview, James reiterated his enthusiasm for bringing a team to Las Vegas, praising the city's passionate and supportive fans. He highlighted the city's existing sports attractions, including a WNBA team, an upcoming baseball team (Athletics), an NFL team, a hockey team, and the recent F1 race. James believes the NBA would be a great addition to this vibrant city.

While James and Davis were the stars of the night, Lakers coach Darvin Ham commended their one-two punch, emphasizing that either player has the ability to step up and perform at a high level. The Lakers received ample support from their teammates, with Austin Reaves scoring 28 points, D'Angelo Russell adding 13 points, and Cam Reddish making a significant impact on the defensive end.

The Pacers were led by Tyrese Haliburton, who had a standout tournament. However, the Lakers were successful in limiting his impact, with Reddish taking on the defensive responsibilities. Haliburton finished the game with 20 points and 11 assists. Bennedict Mathurin contributed 20 points, and Aaron Nesmith added 15 for the Pacers.

Aside from the tournament victory, the Lakers players on standard contracts each earned $500,000, while the Pacers players received $200,000 each. Players on two-way deals took home half of those amounts.

The atmosphere throughout the tournament, particularly the title game, resembled a combination of the NBA playoffs and the intensity of the NCAA Tournament. Both teams played with immense energy and determination, as if their entire seasons were on the line. While the Lakers seemed comfortable playing in Las Vegas, essentially the home team, the Pacers struggled to match their intensity.

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle acknowledged the Lakers' strong performance, admitting that his team was outplayed from the beginning to the end of the game. Haliburton expressed frustration at their inability to secure loose balls, rebound effectively, and get crucial defensive stops. However, he recognized the importance of this experience and the need for his team to regroup quickly for their upcoming game against the Detroit Pistons.

In attendance at the game were several notable celebrities, including basketball Hall of Famers Julius Erving and Shaquille O'Neal, football Hall of Famers Tim Brown and Shannon Sharpe, former tennis star Steffi Graf, former boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr., celebrity chef Bobby Flay, and rapper Flavor Flav. Members of the Las Vegas Aces, the two-time WNBA champions, including Finals MVP A'ja Wilson, also enjoyed the game.

Looking ahead, the Pacers will face the Detroit Pistons on Monday night, kicking off a four-game road trip. Meanwhile, the Lakers will travel to Dallas on Tuesday night for the start of a three-game Texas trip.