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The Indiana Pacers completed a three game home sweep, but needed a little extra gusto to finish off the Brooklyn Nets. The Pacers didn't appear to have the necessary fight in them for much of the game, allowing the Nets to take a seven point lead at 81-74 early in the fourth quarter. Indiana responded in necessary fashion, scoring six straight and holding Brooklyn scoreless for the new four and a half minutes.
Indiana would finally break though midway through the quarter, capping a 26-11 run to eventually grab a late win over the Nets, their third straight overall. The Pacers had no shortage of struggles to fight though, needing good shooting late to push them to 41.6% for the game, going just 7-28 from three point range.
Paul George struggled in a big way with seven of Indiana's 11 turnovers, but had seven of his team high 23 in the fourth quarter. For much of the game, George was taken out of the game by the officials with a series of no calls and offensive calls. While he came through in the end, his frustration was still at a boiling point and will be lighter in the wallet for it, criticizing the officials and dropping profanity in the post-game interview with Jeremiah Johnson.
George was 7-15 for the game as part of his 23 point, 10 rebound double double, but had one of the best shooting nights from the starters, with C.J. Miles (15 on 4-12 shooting), George Hill (nine points on 3-11), and Monta Ellis (two points on 1-8) struggled mightily from the floor tonight. Ian Mahinmi did reach double figures with 10 points on 5-7 shooting and nine rebounds, however.
The spark of the night came from the bench, with Jordan Hill piecing together another solid 14 point, 11 rebound double double. He was joined by Rodney Stuckey in double figures, who had 15. Chase Budinger and Lavoy Allen had big play themselves, with the bench rotation totaling 11 of Indiana's 14 offensive rebounds, led by Hill's five.
The Nets entered with just one road win on the season, and it's possible to a degree that the Pacers were expecting an easier affair given their dominant second halves against Dallas and Toronto. But the Nets gave no space to the Pacers, led by 26 from Jarrett Jack. The hard work tonight may have residual effects tomorrow night as Indiana flies out to Memphis for their second matchup with the Grizzlies, a tall task on the second night of a back-to-back.