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Pacers Links: Thunder show Pacers how to close out win

Thunder guard Russell Westbrook rose up to put down the Pacers in the final three minutes of the game.

By Tom Lewis

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Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

The Indiana Pacers suffered a tough loss after playing a solid game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Unfortunately, they needed an exceptional game to beat the Thunder and that would require making big shots at big moments down the stretch.

Paul George made a three-pointer with five and a half minutes left in the game to pull the Pacers within three points, but from there the Thunder outscored the Pacers 10-2. Yep, the Pacers scored just two points in the final five and a half minutes of the game.

Oklahoma City had three players score over 20 points and all three carried the team for various stretches of the game. It was like a world class distance race where the elite runner kicks into another gear for the final half mile to bury a group of competitors that they were keeping pace.

After two consecutive losses, the Pacers have slipped down the standings as the Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks continued to win. The Pacers are now two games behind Chicago and one game behind Milwaukee in the Central Division and in ninth place overall in the Eastern Conference.

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