A method of encoding a point cloud includes determining, by one or more processors, a quantity of lasers used to capture light detection and ranging (LIDAR) data that represents the point cloud; and encoding, by the one or more processors, a laser index for a current node of the point cloud, wherein encoding the laser index comprises: obtaining a predicted laser index value of the current node; determining a residual laser index value for the current node, wherein determining the residual laser index value comprises constraining a sum of the residual laser index value and the predicted laser index value to be less than or equal to the determined quantity of lasers minus one; and encoding, in a bitstream, one or more syntax elements that represent the residual laser index value.