Indiana Pacers nearly complete 24-point comeback but fall in Brooklyn
The Indiana Pacers have the worst net rating in the first quarter in the entire NBA this season, and they are 7.5 points per 100 possessions worse than the next-worst first quarter squad. The blue and gold have been atrocious to open games, and it has cost them multiple wins.
That happened again on Monday night when the Pacers took on the Brooklyn Nets in the final game of their road trip. Over the final 33:34 of the game, Indiana outscored Brooklyn 85-68, a dominant stretch. Yet the Pacers still lost by seven because they were crushed in the first 14:26 of the game. The Nets won that portion of the contest 48-24.
The blue and gold shot 0/12 from deep in the first quarter and couldn't stop Brooklyn. Even with the Pacers controlling things the majority of the night, they weren't able to overcome the awful start, and they fell 116-109.
"They stuck with it, stuck with the task," Nets head coach Steve Nash said of the Pacers after the game. But sticking with the task wasn't enough for the team from the Circle City to avenge their poor start.
Indiana didn't close the game particularly strong either. With 6:54 to go in the fourth quarter, wing Chris Duarte hit a layup to tie the game at 100, and the Pacers had all the momentum. But it didn't help them. The Nets went on a 7-0 run over the next two minutes, and that seven-point margin ended up being the difference. The blue and gold had a shot to completely erase their atrocious start, but they failed to take advantage.
The Pacers missed seven free throws, turned the ball over 24 times, and committed 24 fouls in this game. They started slow and couldn't stop superstar Kevin Durant, who finished with 36 points, but they also had too many self-inflicted wounds to make a grand comeback possible.
Buddy Hield (22 points) and Bennedict Mathurin (16) were solid for the Pacers. But the true bright spot was Duarte, who finally emerged from his slump. The second year wing finished with a career-high 30 points and added three rebounds, one assist, and a block. His shot making was impressive, and he finished as a +4 for the blue and gold.
Duarte was taking more catch-and-shoot threes than he had in previous games, and many of his drives went all the way to the rim. His offensive approach was slightly different than it was in previous games, and it paid off in a big way.
The Pacers now head home from their road trip at 3-5, and they have three days off until they play again. That gap will be good for the team to practice, reset physically and mentally, and evaluate their first two weeks.
Miami travels to Indiana on Friday for that game. The Pacers will hope to start strong that night and find a way to win their second home game of the season.
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- Indiana Pacers set franchise record for made three pointers while Bennedict Mathurin shines in Brooklyn. CLICK HERE.
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