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Not all NBA games are created equal and what we saw at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Monday night was more NBA scrimmage than it was critical game in the heat of a playoff race.
Critical?
Well, yeah, the Pacers beat the Sixers, a team playing at BLF on the second night of a back-to-back with 61 L's already logged before the tip, and the bottom line is the Pacers had to win to remain in seventh place in the East. Detroit, Chicago, Atlanta and Charlotte all won in more impressive fashion on Monday, so the Pacers are still just a half game from falling out of the playoffs and three games from moving up in the standings. Charlotte recovered from a 23-point deficit to beat the Spurs!
Pretty sure the Pacers couldn't have pulled off that feat on Monday. They did well to finish off the Sixers, but any hopes of seeing Joe Young and Glenn Robinson III play extended minutes never materialized. Instead the Pacers appeared to play in second gear much of the night before pulling away at the finish.
The best news of the night was the sight of Ty Lawson who played two stints of roughly 7:30 minutes in each half. The first half appearance was disjointed with more confusion than execution, but Lawson stayed with his squad, talking through things on the bench and surely at the half. His second half run looked much better, even if the final shot of a possession didn't always go in.
The signature possession for Lawson in the second half had him working a pick n roll action with Jordan Hill which just wasn't happening. Lawson kept his dribble and the possession alive and then passed to Lavoy Allen who quickly fired the ball to Rodney Stuckey in the corner for a 3-ball. Just having Lawson handling the ball instead of Stuckey was a nice sight and while Stuck missed a few shots, he was getting shots with that reserve unit which will work out well for both he and Lawson going forward.
Lawson's attention now turns to Denver where he has a sentencing hearing for his DWI which occurred Jan. 23, 2015.
Check out the links:
Game Rewind: Pacers 91, 76ers 75 | Indiana Pacers
Lawson Spices Up a Drab Victory | Indiana Pacers
Pacers beat 76ers despite uneven performance
Sixers lose for 19th time in 20 games
Indiana Pacers take care of business against lowly Philadelphia 76ers, 91-75 | FOX Sports
Sixers Fall In Indiana, 91-75 - Liberty Ballers
Post-Game Grades: Indiana Pacers Handle the 76ers
Larry Bird does literal 'smh' at Pacers' defense against the Sixers - SBNation.com
NBA scores 2016: The crowded race for the 8th playoff spot in the East heats up - SBNation.com