Luka Doncic dominates Pacers in 44-point effort for LeBron-less Lakers

LOS ANGELES — With every word out of Rick Carlisle’s mouth it was as if the Indiana Pacers coach gazed toward the peak of a mountain that extended higher and higher with every one of his soundbites of praise.

Carlisle, who coached Luka Doncic as a rookie in 2018 through 2021 with the Dallas Mavericks, didn’t dwell on his embattled relationship with the Slovenian star – well-documented during their final season together in Texas.

On Friday night, coaching the last-in-the-East Pacers...