Depleted Indiana Pacers team cannot keep up with Detroit Pistons in home finale
The Indiana Pacers were without 66.2 points per game on Friday night when they hosted the Detroit Pistons. Six players, including All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton and center Myles Turner, were out due to injury.
Indiana had to rely on its reserves against the Pistons, though they too were missing several key talents. Many reserves got more playing time than normal, which led to an ugly game.
Early on, it was the Pistons who played poorly. They watched as Indiana jumped out to a 17-6 lead in barely over four minutes. Pacers wing Aaron Nesmith alone matched Detroit's point total through that stretch, and the blue and gold looked potent.
For several minutes after that, the Pacers looked miserable. They turned the ball over far too often and couldn't hit shots. With a mixed up rotation, they looked disconnected on defense. As soon as the team made substitutions, they fell apart. Detroit led by eight at the end of the first quarter.
"I think we just had a lull in that first half at some point where we weren't really kind of playing together on the offensive side of the ball," Pacers point guard Andrew Nembhard said after the game.
The second quarter was just as ugly as the first. The Pacers flirted with capable play for a minute or two, but Detroit mostly dominated. The Pistons led by as much as 21 in the second frame and took a 16-point lead into halftime. It was clear that Indiana was missing some important pieces.
In the third quarter, though, the Pacers finally established some footing. They started off the quarter with a 6-0 run and cut the lead down to 10, and near the end of the frame Detroit's advantage was just six. It looked like Indiana had the ability to mount a comeback.
But that comeback effort was for nothing as the Pistons expanded their lead to 13 halfway through the final quarter. The Pacers battled a bit down the stretch, but it was too little, too late.
"We just didn't have a very good night," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said after the game. "[Detroit] earned the win, and we just weren't good enough."
In the end, the final score was 122-115. It was the Pacers third-straight loss as they fell to 34-47 with just one game to go. They are in development mode, but they are still struggling in recent games.
In this particular outing, their issue was turnovers. The Pacers had 19 of them, which is tied for their seventh-most in one game this season. They couldn't take care of the ball, and the Pistons scored 34 points off of said turnovers. That changed the game.
"Guys were caught in bad spots," Pacers guard Buddy Hield said of the turnovers. "That's what happens when you're trying to adjust and learning and trying to get better. Mistakes just happen."
Hield led the Pacers in scoring with 22 points. He knocked down five threes and had six rebounds, he was the most impactful Pacer on the court. His value to the team is clear at this stage of the season.
Bennedict Mathurin contributed 16 points while Isaiah Jackson added 15. Those two younger players were impressive. Andrew Nembhard had the Pacers only double double with 12 points and 10 assists.
Indiana really struggled to contain Detroit's high-volume ball handlers. Killian Hayes finished with 28 points while Jaden Ivey added 29, and both guards distributed the ball effectively. They were the catalysts behind the Pistons' success.
"Tough night, man," Hield said.
The Pacers have one game remaining in their season as they take on the New York Knicks on Sunday in the Big Apple. A loss would help the Pacers in the lottery standings with just one game to go, but the Pacers could chase momentum heading into a crucial summer. New York defeated Indiana on Wednesday.
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