Indiana Pacers overcome 20-point deficit to beat Rockets in Houston
Not many thought that the Indiana Pacers would have a top-five record in the Eastern Conference after 14 games, but that is where the team stands after taking down the Houston Rockets on Friday night.
The Pacers got their first road win against a Western Conference team this season with their win in Houston. They had to overcome a slow start and numerous hurdles to get the win, but they found an extra gear on the way to a 99-91 victory.
Early on, the blue and gold looked miserable. After scoring the first two points of the game, the Pacers found themselves down 19-4 during the first quarter, and that 15-point margin remained through the end of the frame. Indiana scored just ten points in the first quarter.
"The start was rough, for sure," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said. "But it's a long game, and guys were sticking together."
In the early portion of the second quarter, the Rockets expanded their lead to 20. The Pacers were frustrated and sluggish — they looked disconnected. Just over six minutes of game time later, head coach Rick Carlisle was ejected for yelling at an official with his team down by 12. It was definitely not the start Indiana drew up.
Assistant coach Llyd Pierce led the team with the head coach ejected. And like Carlisle said, the team stuck together. By halftime, the Pacers were down by just five. By the end of the third quarter, they were ahead. Despite an ugly start, the Pacers never gave up.
Houston took a lead early in the fourth quarter at 75-74, but the Pacers dominated the rest of the way and only gave up 17 points in the final ten minutes. Point guard Tyrese Haliburton had ten points in the final frame to guide his team to victory.
"Lloyd did a great job helping those guys finish the game," Carlisle said the next day.
Haliburton hurt his ankle with just over 30 seconds to go in the game, but it didn't cause him to miss the Pacers game the next night against the Magic.
Indiana has won three games in a row and is 5-1 in the month of November. The Pacers are rolling right now, and their comeback win in Houston is just another instance of that.
The Indiana Pacers next play on Saturday night when they take on the Orlando Magic at home. They will look to win their ninth game of the season, which took them 21 tries in the 2021-22 NBA season.
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