LOS ANGELES - Shaquille O'Neal scored 18 of his 23 in the second half and the Lakers overpowered the Pacers 99-77 Sunday night in a matchup of the teams with the league's best records.
Indiana entered as the league's best defensive team, having allowed an average of 80.4 points.
But Los Angeles was the game's best defensive team, forcing 23 turnovers and limiting the Pacers to 39.1 percent shooting.
The victory was the sixth straight and ninth in 10 games for the Lakers. It extended their regular-season home winning streak to a franchise-record 25, including 10 this season. The record of 24 was set 15 years ago.
The loss snapped Indiana's eight-game winning streak and was its first in eight road games.
O'Neal, who played five minutes in the first half because of foul trouble, shot 8-of-13 from the floor and 7-of-12 from the free-throw line before coming out of the game for good with 6:24 remaining. He played 23 minutes.
Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher added 12 points each, and Karl Malone had 11 points and 15 rebounds for L.A.
Al Harrington led the Pacers with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Jermaine O'Neal added 14 points. Ron Artest was held to six points and five rebounds.
Two free throws by Shaquille O'Neal with 2:58 left in the third quarter capped a 15-4 run and gave the Lakers a 64-45 lead. It was 68-51 entering the fourth, and Indiana was not a threat after that.
KINGS 105, NETS 92: Peja Stojakovic scored 25 as Sacramento got its eighth consecutive victory and 17th straight at home.
The Kings, 10-0 this season at Arco Arena, won their 24th in a row at home against Eastern Conference teams.
Brad Miller added 20 points and 11 rebounds; Vlade Divac had 15 points, seven rebounds and eight assists; Mike Bibby scored 14 and Doug Christie had 12.
Rodney Rogers led New Jersey with 23 points, Kenyon Martin had 18 and Jason Kidd added 13 points and 10 assists.
The Nets, down 60-28 at halftime, cut the lead to 12 several times in the fourth quarter but could get no closer in losing their second straight.
New Jersey outscored Sacramento 38-27 in the third but trailed 87-66.
Stojakovic made all three of his 3-point attempts and scored 17 in the first half. The Nets shot 29 percent (13-of-45) in the half and were outscored 29-12 in the second quarter.
