Luka Doncic scores 43 as Lakers beat Pacers 137-130 with Caitlin Clark snapping photos

INDANAPOLIS (AP) — Luka Doncic scored 43 points to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 137-130 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night.

With Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark snapping pictures on the sideline as a credentialed photographer, Doncic sank 15 of 30 shots and hit 9 of 10 free throws. Austin Reaves scored 25 points, LeBron James scored 23 and Jaxson Hayes had 21 points and 10 rebounds for Los Angeles.

The Lakers have won 10 of 11, with Doncic scoring at least 30 points in each. Los Angeles, which sits third in the Western Conference, lost Monday night at Detroit, ending a nine-game winning streak.

Pascal Siakam scored 20 points and Jay Huff had 18 for the Pacers. T.J. McConnell came off the bench to score 17 and Andrew Nembhard had a career-high 19 assists along with 14 points.

The Lakers scored first 10 points and never trailed, building a 29-point lead in the third quarter. The Pacers cut the deficit to 131-124 with 45 seconds left. James responded with two free throws for LA.

Jarace Walker's 3-pointer trimmed the lead to 133-127 with 28 seconds left, but the Pacers got no closer.

The Lakers played without without Deandre Ayton (back spasms). Rui Hachimura (right calf soreness) and Marcus Smart (right ankle contusion) each missed their second consecutive game.

Smart still managed to make the box score as he was called for a technical foul on the bench in the second quarter.

Tyrese Haliburton returned to the Pacers' bench for the first time in a month since being diagnosed with shingles. Haliburton is out for the season after suffering a torn Achilles tendon in the Pacers’ Game 7 loss to Oklahoma City in last year's NBA Finals.

Lakers: Host Brooklyn on Friday night.

Pacers: Host the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night.

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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) shoots between Indiana Pacers forward Jarace Walker (5) and center Jay Huff (32) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Indianapolis, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) shoots over Indiana Pacers forward Jarace Walker (5) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Indianapolis, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Indiana Fever guard Caitlyn Clark takes photos during pregame before an NBA basketball game between the Indiana Pacers and the Los Angeles Lakers in Indianapolis, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) drives past Indiana Pacers guard Kobe Brown (24) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Indianapolis, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) gestures after a three-point basket against the Indiana Pacers during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Indianapolis, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The New York Yankees' José Caballero lost the first challenge taken to Major League Baseball's so-called robot umpire, unsuccessfully appealing a strike by San Francisco Giants right-hander Logan Webb in Wednesday night's season opener.

Webb started the fourth inning with a 90.7 mph sinker on the upper, inner corner that was called a strike by Bill Miller, a major league umpire since 1997. Caballero tapped his helmet, and the 12 Hawk-Eye cameras of the Automated Ball-Strike System upheld Miller's decision in a graphic shown on the Oracle Park scoreboard.

New York was ahead 5-0 at the time. Caballero drove in the first run with an RBI double in a five-run second inning against Webb, who got his 1,000th career strikeout in the fourth.

The automated system had been tested in the minor leagues since 2019 and was used during major league spring training in 2025 and '26. Some managers have said they will still find ways to argue and get ejected.

Before Wednesday's game, Yankees manager Aaron Boone spoke in support of the new system and the importance of discussing decisions on challenges with his team ahead of time.

“I hope so,” Boone said when asked if he was excited. “We've had a lot of dialogue at it, it's something that we've poured a lot into, I've certainly. It's become one of the things I've kind of tried to lead the charge on a little bit. Another kind of end-of-spring meeting with all the position players and catchers at the end just kind of running through different ones that came up and give my feedback on it. I've been very direct with them during spring as far as after the fact if I thought one was really good or conversely if one was terrible."

Boone stressed this will be a learning process for everybody involved.

“I've tried to be real direct with them and why,” he said. "I feel like we're going to be good at it, that's the expectation. I'm sure we'll continue to evolve with it.”

New San Francisco skipper Tony Vitello, who came to the Giants from the University of Tennessee with no professional experience as a player or coach, said he had to remind himself earlier Wednesday that the robots might take over at times.

“'I've got to be honest with you, one thing I was looking at is who are the umpires tonight?” he said. “You get on google the first thing you see is there's going to be a robot umpire. And it was only for a millisecond but I kind of freaked out.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb

San Francisco Giants pitcher Logan Webb works against the New York Yankees during the first inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

San Francisco Giants pitcher Logan Webb reacts after a two-run single hit by New York Yankees' Ryan McMahon during the second inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

New York Yankees' Jazz Chisholm Jr., left, and José Caballero, right, are congratulated by Austin Wells (28) after both scored on Ryan McMahon's two-run single against the San Francisco Giants during the second inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

New York Yankees' José Caballero, right, hits an RBI double in front of San Francisco Giants catcher Patrick Bailey, left, during the second inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)