Lakers beat Pacers despite worst free throw percentage in a game

LOS ANGELES -- TheLakers, with three starters out because of injuries Friday, had the worst free throw shooting percentage in a game in NBA history -- and still won.

With Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope out, the Lakers shot an abysmal 2-for-14 from the foul line in a 99-86 win over the Indiana Pacersat Staples Center.

The 14.3 percent from the free throw line is the lowest by any team in NBA history with a minimum of 10 attempts, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

"Man, that free throw line, it's like a virus or something," said guard Jordan Clarkson, the only Laker to make free throws in the game. "What did we shoot?"

Told what the Lakers shot, Clarkson blurted out, "Oh s---." And when told that the Lakers set a record, Clarkson was almost in disbelief.

"For real? Dang, that's crazy," said Clarkson, whose team matched a franchise low for the fewest number of free throws made in a game as well. "We got to fix that. We got to [work] in the gym."

The Lakers weren't the only ones setting records with their shooting issues.

The Pacers shot 2-for-25 (8 percent) from 3-point range in the loss. That is the worst percentage in franchise history and worst by any Lakers opponent in team history with a minimum of 20 attempts.

"Maybe they got to get some work in too," Clarkson said when told of the Pacers' 3-point shooting. "Shoot, we got to get some work in too."

The Lakers (16-29) are last in the league in free throw shooting, converting just 68.8 percent from the line.

Coach Luke Walton said the fact that the Lakers won by 13 despite the woeful shooting from the stripe was a testament to the stellar defense the team played.

"Our defense was awesome tonight," Walton said. "... It shows just how hard our guys played on that end to overcome what's -- I got to look -- it's got to be the worst of all time from the free throw line. It was all defense for us tonight."