Indiana Pacers return to winning ways with comeback victory over Brooklyn Nets
The Indiana Pacers started slow, found their footing, and crushed their opponent late en route to a victory.
That could be the story for several Pacers games this season, and that was once again the case on Friday night when the blue and gold took down the Brooklyn Nets. Indiana was down 12 after the first quarter. They trailed by eight at halftime and by six after three quarters.
In the end, they won by 11. The Pacers have one of the best fourth quarter net ratings in the NBA this season, and they showed why on Friday night. They scored 40 points in the frame and conceded just 23 (Kevin Durant had 20 of the 23) while looking significantly better than the title-hopeful Nets. It was a terrific close to the game from the Pacers.
"I think there were some chippy plays. I think that they had some guys that were trying to get in our head a little bit. Some of the stuff happened with [Isaiah Jackson], some stuff happened with [Tyrese Haliburton]. They kept their composure," center Myles Turner said of what the Pacers did well in the fourth quarter. "They didn't allow that to mess up the flow of the game."
Everyone who touched the hardwood in the final quarter did well for Indiana. Bennedict Mathurin led the way with 16 points, and he made it look easy with drives and free throws. Tyrese Haliburton and T.J. McConnell, the two floor generals, combined for six assists. James Johnson brought toughness. Turner had five points and three rebounds while Buddy Hield had seven points. It was a collective effort with each Pacer completing their job description.
Early, the Pacers struggled. They couldn't get stops in the first quarter and missed all of their three-point attempts. But Indiana is one of the best teams at shifting their outlook mid game this year, and they found a way to overcome the slow start and get the win.
"I think it's just honest conversations at halftime. Coach does a really good job of game plan adjustments, getting on our guys, whatever the case may be," Haliburton said of the team's ability to adjust. "It's big, what we're doing at halftime."
Many Pacers had special nights in the victory. Turner was one of them as he continued his absurd run of play in November and finished with 23 points while missing just two of his 11 shots. He added eight rebounds, three assists, and two blocks in a dominant performance. He has been excellent since Halloween.
Mathurin scored 80% of his points in the final frame on his way to 20 points and four rebounds. He played with more fire than usual in this game, which is saying something given that the rookie has a ton of passion and leaves it on the floor.
Haliburton had 21 points and 15 assists, which is a once-in-a-lifetime stat line for many players. For Haliburton, it was just another day at the office. His longtime teammate Buddy Hield finished with 26 points while spending much of the evening guarding Durant, it was one of his best games of the season.
The Pacers just keep finding ways to win, and they did again on Friday. The final score was 128-117. They have once again found themselves in the top-four of the Eastern Conference, and they embark on a difficult and long road trip starting on Sunday. They'll play seven consecutive games out West on a trip that spans nearly two weeks.
"This trip, it's long, it's unprecedented, it's historic in a lot of ways," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said of the road trek. He said it's important that his team continues to take things game-by-game.
Indiana begins said trip on Sunday against the Clippers in Los Angeles. They will look to improve to 12-7 after an impressive win over the Nets.
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