Tag: Indiana Pacers

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NBA (Basketball)

Knicks Fall Short in Game 2 Comeback as Defensive Lapses Push Pacers to 2-0 Series Lead

Knicks Fall Short in Game 2 Comeback as Defensive Lapses Push Pacers to 2-0 Series Lead
Knicks Fall Short in Game 2 Comeback as Defensive Lapses Push Pacers to 2-0 Series Lead

The New York Knicks attempted to stage a dramatic comeback in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals but ultimately fell short against the Indiana Pacers. Down by ten points with under three minutes remaining, Jalen Brunson led a furious rally to trim the deficit to one in the final 20 seconds. However, Brunson’s missed three-pointer with eight seconds left sealed the Knicks’ fate, resulting in a 114-109 loss at Madison Square Garden. With the loss, the Knicks now trail 2-0 in the best-of-seven series as the action shifts to Indiana for Game 3.

Defensive Breakdowns and Open Threes Doom Knicks in Another Painful Playoff Loss

Postgame, the Knicks were united in their assessment that poor defense was their undoing. Josh Hart highlighted the team’s struggles to maintain focus through multiple phases of Indiana’s offensive sets, emphasizing the importance of executing consistently on every defensive action. Hart acknowledged that repeated blown coverages, especially late in the shot clock, critically hurt the Knicks during their attempted comeback. He stressed the urgency of addressing these mistakes with the series heading to Indiana, a notoriously difficult venue for visiting teams.

Knicks Fall Short in Game 2 Comeback as Defensive Lapses Push Pacers to 2-0 Series Lead
Knicks Fall Short in Game 2 Comeback as Defensive Lapses Push Pacers to 2-0 Series Lead

Indiana’s Pascal Siakam delivered a dominant performance, scoring 39 points on just 23 shots. The Pacers also thrived from beyond the arc, hitting 13 of 30 three-point attempts. A major factor in their success was the Knicks’ inability to contain shooters, especially when sending help defense against Tyrese Haliburton and T.J. McConnell. These double-teams often left someone wide open, leading to easy three-point looks that Indiana capitalized on, particularly during a decisive early fourth-quarter run.

Lineup Changes Loom as Knicks Face Critical Game 3 with Season on Line

The Knicks’ starting five continued to underperform, being outscored once again in Game 2, raising questions about potential lineup changes. Coach Tom Thibodeau expressed willingness to explore adjustments ahead of Game 3. Mitchell Robinson gave New York quality minutes early, but appeared hobbled after a key block on Haliburton, possibly compromising his late-game effectiveness. With the Pacers finding success against Karl-Anthony Towns’ defensive matchups, Thibodeau faces tough decisions on how to balance offense and defense moving forward.

With a 2-0 series deficit, the Knicks enter a critical juncture in their playoff run. Brunson, who led the team with 36 points, emphasized that mental focus and full commitment are non-negotiable at this stage of the postseason. He acknowledged that while strategy matters, sheer effort and concentration must now be the priority. If the Knicks hope to avoid a daunting 3-0 hole, they will need a collective rise in intensity and execution, especially on the defensive end, when they take the floor in Indiana on Sunday night.

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NBA (Basketball)

LeBron James caps off a strong finish to lead the Lakers over the Pacers and extend his record scoring streak

LeBron James and Bennedict Mathurin in the 2nd half

LeBron James started the fourth quarter on Wednesday at risk of ending his NBA record streak of consecutive games scoring in double digits.

He ended the game with another remarkable achievement.

The 40-year-old James scored his final 13th point with a buzzer-beating tip-in, giving the Los Angeles Lakers a 120-119 win over the Indiana Pacers, and extending his streak of double-digit games to 1,283. Not that James was focused on the streak.

“It’s whatever it takes to help your teammates win,” James said after a replay confirmed the game-winning basket. “I can do other things to impact the game, that’s the beauty of my game, I’ve always built it my whole life as far as being three-dimensional, being able to get my guys involved, being able to rebound, defend and sprinkle some points in here and there.”

As the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, James has done much more than just “sprinkle” points, especially against the Pacers. Wednesday was no exception. He came close to a triple-double, finishing with 13 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists, despite shooting just 4 of 12 from the field and missing all three of his 3-point attempts.

It looked like the Pacers might finally have the upper hand on James, who they’ve faced numerous times. They held him to 0-for-6 shooting with just three points through the first three quarters, forcing him to pass as Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves stepped up for the Lakers.

Stats people started looking at James’ lowest field goal totals and remembered his last single-digit scoring game, an eight-point performance against Milwaukee on January 5, 2007.

But as the Pacers closed the gap from a 17-point deficit to 95-92 after three quarters, James returned to form.

LeBron James and Pascal Siakam in the 2nd half

“Obviously, I know I can score the ball,” he said. “But until we find a little rhythm offensively or whatever the case may be, the defensive side is the most important for our ballclub.”

James scored his first basket just 49 seconds into the fourth quarter. Another basket came 37 seconds later, followed by two free throws and a driving layup, putting the Lakers up 105-92 with just under 9 1/2 minutes left.

The Pacers weren’t done, though.

Indiana fought back, retaking the lead for the final time on Tyrese Haliburton’s three-point play with 42.2 seconds left, giving them a 119-118 lead. This put the Lakers in danger of losing their fourth straight game.

But James wasn’t going to let that happen. With the clock running down and Doncic taking a midrange shot that bounced off the rim, James appeared out of nowhere.

“I was just trying to read the ball off the rim,” James said. “It kind of looked like it was a little short, but I knew it had a chance to bounce in if it hit the front rim. Once it came out, I kind of wanted to tap it with enough time. Obviously, you could probably see me looking over at the Jumbotron to see if I actually got it in time and it was a good play for us.”

It was yet another frustrating chapter in the Pacers’ rivalry with James, who had eliminated them from the playoffs multiple times, first with Miami and then again with Cleveland.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever been walked off in the NBA, so probably fitting,” Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton said after talking with James following the game. “It was obviously a great play by a great player.”

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NBA (Basketball)

Haliburton’s dominant third quarter leads Pacers to victory over Spurs in Paris

Tyrese Haliburton celebrates after a goal

Tyrese Haliburton scored 28 points, the most in the game, and played a key role in the final five minutes of the third quarter, leading the Indiana Pacers to a 136-98 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday afternoon, splitting the NBA Paris Games series.

The Spurs won the first game 140-110 on Thursday, but had no answer for the Pacers in this one. Indiana was ahead by 15 points at halftime and by 12 after three quarters. Haliburton scored 16 points in a critical 19-6 run to end the third quarter.

The Pacers dominated the fourth, extending their lead to as much as 38 points as they cruised to the win.

Pascal Siakam contributed 23 points and 11 rebounds for Indiana, which won three out of its last four games. Andrew Nembhard added 15 points, Myles Turner scored 14, Bennedict Mathurin had 13, T.J. McConnell posted 12, and Thomas Bryant scored 10.

Harrison Barnes led the Spurs with 25 points, while Victor Wembanyama, who is from Paris, added 20 points and 12 rebounds. Stephon Castle scored 17 points and Chris Paul had 11. The Spurs have lost four of their last five games.

Pascal Siakam takes the control of the ball

Indiana dominated the first quarter, finishing with a 33-24 lead after the first 12 minutes.

San Antonio fought back, tying the game at 39 after Wembanyama made two free throws with 7:04 left in the second quarter. Indiana responded, with Nembhard hitting a 3-pointer to give the Pacers a 61-50 lead with 1:39 remaining. A dunk by Turner and a layup from Haliburton at the buzzer pushed the Pacers’ lead to 65-50 at halftime.

Wembanyama led all scorers at the break with 17 points, and Barnes added 11 for the Spurs. Mathurin led Indiana with 11 points in the first half, with Siakam, Nembhard, and Haliburton all scoring 10 each.

San Antonio came back to take a 77-76 lead after Wembanyama’s jumper with five minutes left in the third. The Spurs were still up by one before Haliburton took control, scoring 16 of Indiana’s next 19 points, giving the Pacers a 98-86 lead going into the final quarter.

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NBA (Basketball)

Victor Wembanyama shines in Paris, scoring 30 points as the Spurs dominate the Pacers 140-110

Victor Wembanyama reacts in the 2nd half

On Thursday, Victor Wembanyama made a big return to Paris.

The San Antonio Spurs star, who grew up outside of Paris and played in the French basketball league for five years, came back to France this week for a game against the Indiana Pacers. With the home crowd cheering him on, Wembanyama helped lead the Spurs to a 140-110 victory over the Pacers at the Accor Arena.

The 21-year-old center was welcomed by loud cheers from the French fans.

Wembanyama didn’t disappoint, delivering an exciting performance with several key plays as the Spurs built their lead.

After trailing for most of the first half, the Spurs took the lead just before halftime. In the third quarter, they scored 45 points, leaving the Pacers unable to catch up. The game ended in a 30-point win for San Antonio.

With the game under control, Wembanyama and the other starters sat on the bench for the last few minutes. As he did, the fans in the arena started chanting “MVP.”

Wembanyama finished the game with 30 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 blocks.

Veteran guard Chris Paul praised Wembanyama after the game, saying he played really well under pressure. “This is one of the best complete games I’ve seen him play all season long.

Indiana Pacers (NBA)

With the expectations, being at home, in front of all his family and friends, in front of all you guys, some guys could get lost in the game and start maybe doing too much or not, but I think he played a great game (at) both ends of the court,” Paul said.

Wembanyama has had a busy week in France. On Tuesday, he opened two outdoor basketball courts in his hometown of Le Chesnay. On Wednesday, he attended a Champions League game between Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City, where PSG won 4-2.

On Thursday, he capped off a great performance with a big win for the Spurs in his hometown.

In his postgame interview, Wembanyama said the energy from the crowd helped the Spurs win. “It’s a different kind of support that the crowd brings. We tried to use the circumstances to our advantage every time, and tonight was an easy night to use those in our advantage,” he said.

He also expressed pride in the moment. “I felt proud of us, proud of myself, proud of being French,” Wembanyama said. “It just confirmed what I thought was gonna happen.”

Wembanyama and the Spurs will face the Pacers again in Paris on Saturday, this time as the official home team.

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NBA (Basketball)

Cleveland Cavaliers Defeat Indiana Pacers 127-117 in Cleveland

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) shoots over Indiana Pacers guard Ben Sheppard (26) during the second half of an NBA basketball game

Donovan Mitchell scored 35 points, leading the NBA-leading Cleveland Cavaliers to a 127-117 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night.

Darius Garland added 24 points, while Evan Mobley contributed 22 points and 13 rebounds for the Cavaliers.

For the Pacers, Pascal Siakam scored 23 points, and Bennedict Mathurin added 19 points. Myles Turner chipped in 17 points. The Pacers’ six-game winning streak was broken by this loss.

The Cavaliers were ahead 82-77 in the third quarter when they went on a 10-0 run, featuring 3-pointers from Max Strus, Georges Niang, and Mobley. Cleveland ended the third quarter with a 100-89 lead.

Indiana closed the gap to 111-106 but couldn’t get any closer. With 3:58 remaining and the Pacers down 120-111, Mathurin was ejected for a double technical foul. Mitchell made both technical free throws, and Mobley added one more free throw.

The Pacers had previously ended the Cavaliers’ 12-game winning streak with a 108-93 win on Sunday. Indiana played without All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who was out with a left groin strain.

Donovan Mitchell celebrates after hitting a 3-point basket in the 2nd half

Takeaways
Cavaliers: Cleveland bounced back from their first loss since December 8, dominating the boards with a 49-37 rebounding advantage. They also contained Siakam in the second half, limiting him to just two points on five shots.

Pacers: Indiana missed Haliburton, and his replacement, Ben Sheppard, struggled with only two assists and a 1-for-6 shooting performance.

Key Moment
When the Pacers cut the lead to 115-109, Garland responded by hitting a 27-foot 3-pointer to extend Cleveland’s lead to 118-109 with 4:48 left.

Key Stat
The Cavaliers made 26 of 31 free throws, nine more than the Pacers, who made 17 of 22. Both teams shot 48% from the field.

Up Next
The Cavaliers will face Oklahoma City on Thursday in a game between the top teams in the East and West. The Pacers will play Detroit on Thursday.

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NFL (American Football)

Indiana Pacers snap Cleveland Cavaliers’ 12-game win streak

Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell dribbles during the first half

Andrew Nembhard scored 19 points, Pascal Siakam added 18 points and nine rebounds, and the Indiana Pacers ended the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 12-game winning streak with a 108-93 victory on Sunday night.

The two teams will meet again Tuesday night in Indianapolis to complete their home-and-home series.

Myles Turner contributed 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Jarace Walker came off the bench to score eight points and grab 12 rebounds, helping Indiana win their sixth straight game. The Pacers held Cleveland to a season-low point total and outscored them 68-40 in the second half.

“There was nothing to lose, this is the best team in the league right now,” Nembhard said about the Cavaliers after the game in an on-court interview with FanDuel Sports Network. “We had to play hard, play together, and put some more physicality in the game on the defensive side of the ball, and play off of that.”

Cleveland’s loss ended their 12-game winning streak, their first defeat since December 8 at Miami. They are now 33-5 overall and 20-2 at home at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

“What disappointed me was our first half was phenomenal, defensively, and then the second half, we fell off,” said Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson. “So, we couldn’t sustain our defense. Just disappointed.”

Zion Williamson dribbles around Pascal Siakam in the 2nd half

Darius Garland led Cleveland with 20 points and seven assists, Donovan Mitchell scored 19 points, and Evan Mobley had 16 points and 12 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough.

“We were connected (on defense),” Nembhard said. “We didn’t fool around, even when we made mistakes, we helped out each other, and just made the next play.”

The win came at a cost for the Pacers as All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who has played in all 40 games this season and leads the team with 8.9 assists and 35.0 minutes per game, sat out the second half due to left hamstring tightness. Haliburton had two points and five assists before leaving the game.

With the rematch just two days away, Indiana coach Rick Carlisle praised Cleveland’s depth and style under Atkinson, saying, “They don’t have any weaknesses. I mean, you can’t find any. All of their guys can score and those guys play defense, too.”

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NBA (Basketball)

Tyrese Haliburton leads Pacers to another win over Heat in Miami

Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat

Tyrese Haliburton scored 33 points and set a season-high with 15 assists, while not turning the ball over, to help the Indiana Pacers defeat the Miami Heat 128-115 on Thursday night.

From the start, the Pacers were in control as Haliburton led with 16 points and five assists in the first quarter. In three games against Miami this season, Haliburton has accumulated 36 assists and only one turnover.

Myles Turner contributed 21 points, while Pascal Siakam had 18 points and 11 rebounds.

Rookie Kel’el Ware had a career-high 25 points on 9-of-11 shooting and added three blocks in 21 minutes off the bench for the Heat, scoring 18 points in the fourth quarter.

Bam Adebayo finished with 20 points and eight rebounds, Tyler Herro scored 17 points, and Terry Rozier added 16 points and seven assists.

Miami’s Jimmy Butler began with a layup in the opening seconds, but that was his only score of the first half. It was also the only time the Heat had the lead. After Butler’s basket, the Pacers went on a 12-point run and then added another 12-2 run to lead 38-25 at the end of the first quarter.

Tyrese Haliburton
Tyrese Haliburton (NBA)

The Pacers were efficient at both ends of the floor, hitting 7-of-15 from three-point range and making all eight of their shots inside the paint in the opening period.

While Adebayo and Herro helped keep Miami in the game during the second quarter, the Pacers still outscored the Heat 28-25, pushing their lead to 66-50 at halftime.

The Heat struggled in the third quarter, allowing 41 points as Indiana’s lead grew to 107-83.

Haliburton kept up his strong play, adding 12 points and six assists in the third, while Turner scored 11 points. The Pacers shot 16-of-24 from the field and 7-of-12 from three in the quarter.

Miami’s rookies, Ware and Keshad Johnson, led an 11-1 run to cut the lead to 12 points midway through the fourth, but Indiana quickly responded with a 9-2 run to seal the game.

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NBA (Basketball)

Pacers brace for challenging zone defense in Miami

Indiana Pacers and Dallas Mavericks (NBA)

Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle expects to face a lot of zone defense when his team visits Miami to play the Heat on Thursday night.

Carlisle said the Pacers were “abysmal” in the final quarter-and-a-half against Milwaukee’s zone defense in their 120-112 loss on Tuesday. The Pacers had a 19-point lead in the third quarter before falling apart, which gave the Heat a good idea of how to beat Indiana.

“Games aren’t 30 minutes long,” Carlisle said. “The last 18 (minutes) were abysmal. We all own it. We lost our aggression, we lost everything that got us a pretty significant lead, and gave them a great opportunity, not only to get back in the game, but to win the game. We’re going to have to learn some hard lessons from this and get ready to bounce back.

“Miami plays more zone than anybody in the league, so I’m sure that will get their attention as well.”

Bennedict Mathurin led Indiana with 25 points, while Pascal Siakam added 20.

The Pacers struggled to get stops as the game went on, which allowed the Bucks to set up their defense. After making 11 of 27 three-pointers in the first three quarters, Indiana shot just 2 of 10 in the fourth.

“We settled for outside shots,” Carlisle said. “We didn’t attack it (Milwaukee’s zone) well, obviously. We weren’t defending well, either. Poor defense allows teams to score and get into zones, so it was the double-whammy.”

Indiana and Miami split their two games in Indianapolis earlier this season, both in November.

Miami Heat and Orlando Magic

Miami’s defense was solid, and their offense ran smoothly in a 119-108 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, starting a three-game homestand for the Heat.

Jimmy Butler, who had been part of trade rumors recently, returned after missing five games due to a stomach illness. He played 24 minutes in his usual starting role and scored nine points.

Tyler Herro led the Heat with 32 points.

“He is continuing to gain confidence offensively,” said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra. “He has (the) responsibility to make a lot of plays for us offensively. He does it in a lot of different ways. Sometimes he’s facilitating and playing off the ball, letting other guys create. Then the ball will find him. But one way or another, we want him to put his imprint on things offensively.”

Bam Adebayo nearly had his second triple-double of the season, finishing with 23 points, 10 assists, and 9 rebounds.

The Heat had excellent ball movement, recording 34 assists on 44 made shots, with Adebayo leading the way.

“You certainly want to build some kind of offensive continuity where everybody feels like they’re involved, everybody feels like they’re who they want to be and they feel like they can impact the game offensively,” Spoelstra said.

“You have to share the ball and do little things — screen assists, sometimes it’s the pass that actually doesn’t count as an assist. Then of course the ball has to go in.

“That makes a lot of things look better.”

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Giannis Antetokounmpo scores 30 as Bucks dominate Pacers

Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 30 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 120-112 comeback win over the Pacers on Tuesday.

Brook Lopez added 16 points for Milwaukee, which came back from a 19-point deficit in the second half. Khris Middleton scored 15 points, while Bobby Portis and Gary Trent Jr. each chipped in 14 points.

Benedict Mathurin led Indiana with 25 points, and Pascal Siakam added 20. Tyrese Haliburton struggled, scoring 12 points on 3-of-13 shooting.

The first half was tough for both teams offensively. The Bucks had trouble shooting, and the Pacers struggled with turnovers. Indiana managed to pull ahead at the end of the second quarter, leading 64-53 at halftime. Milwaukee made just 4 of 20 three-pointers in the first half.

Indiana started the second half strong, with a 19-11 run that gave them a 19-point lead, their biggest of the game. However, they went cold, failing to score for over four minutes, which allowed the Bucks to climb back.

After missing his first nine shots, Damian Lillard finally found his rhythm, hitting back-to-back three-pointers that brought the Bucks within three points, 91-88, heading into the fourth quarter.

Giannis Antetokounmpo bites his winning medal after the victory

Milwaukee tied the game at 99 with 7:22 left, thanks to Antetokounmpo stepping up after a slow start. The game remained close until the Bucks finally took the lead at 107-104, their first lead since the opening quarter.

Gary Trent Jr. came through with clutch shooting, hitting two big three-pointers, including one at the shot clock buzzer, to give the Bucks a five-point lead with just under two minutes to go.

Antetokounmpo sealed the win with a jumper and a free throw. He scored 26 of his 30 points in the second half, including 13 in the fourth quarter.

The Bucks are now 2-0 against Indiana this season, with two more games left between the division rivals.

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NBA (Basketball)

Jaylen Brown shines as the Celtics dominate the Pacers

Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers

Jaylen Brown scored a season-high 44 points to help the Boston Celtics snap a two-game losing streak with a 142-105 win over the Indiana Pacers on Friday.

Brown shot 16 of 24 from the field, including 6 of 11 from three-point range, and made all six of his free throws. He also grabbed five rebounds, recorded three assists, and had four steals.

Jayson Tatum added 22 points and 13 rebounds for the Celtics, who made 23 of 57 three-pointers. Payton Pritchard contributed 18 points, 10 assists, and eight rebounds off the bench.

Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers with 19 points and nine assists, but Indiana never held the lead in the game. Bennedict Mathurin scored 18 points, and Pascal Siakam added 14. Off the bench, Jarace Walker had 15 points and five assists, and Thomas Bryant contributed 12 points and seven rebounds.

Boston’s 142 points marked their highest total of the season.

The game was tied 11-11 midway through the first quarter, but Boston then pulled away, finishing the first quarter with a 39-22 lead. Brown scored 15 points in the first 12 minutes, making all six of his field goals.

Jaylen Brown takes the ball forward

The Celtics extended their lead to 57-37 after a Tatum three-pointer with 3:38 left in the second quarter. Al Horford capped a 13-0 run with back-to-back three-pointers, giving Boston a 65-37 lead. They led 67-45 at halftime.

Brown finished the first half with 23 points, while Tatum had 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Another Tatum three-pointer increased Boston’s lead to 95-63 with 4:10 remaining in the third quarter. The Celtics led 103-78 entering the final quarter, and their advantage reached 38 points at its peak.

Both teams were missing key players. The Celtics played without Jrue Holiday (right shoulder impingement) and Kristaps Porzingis (left ankle sprain), while the Pacers were without Obi Toppin (left ankle sprain) and Andrew Nembhard (left knee injury management).

The two teams will play again on Sunday in Boston.

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NBA (Basketball)

Thunder extend streak to nine, defeat Pacers to stay atop West

Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 45 points and nearly recorded a triple-double as the Oklahoma City Thunder came from behind to beat the Indiana Pacers 120-114 on Thursday night in Indianapolis.

Gilgeous-Alexander also grabbed seven rebounds and made eight assists for Oklahoma City, which extended its winning streak to nine games despite being down by 15 points in the first quarter. Jalen Williams added 20 points, Luguentz Dort scored 13, and Isaiah Hartenstein contributed 11 points and 13 rebounds.

The Thunder pulled ahead after a 107-107 tie, thanks to an 8-0 run with free throws from Williams and Hartenstein, giving Oklahoma City a 111-107 lead with 1:39 left to play.

Bennedict Mathurin responded with two free throws for Indiana, but Gilgeous-Alexander hit a three-pointer with 59.4 seconds remaining and then made six free throws in the final moments to seal the victory.

Andrew Nembhard scored 23 points for the Pacers, who saw their five-game winning streak end despite shooting better than the Thunder, 47.2 percent to 46.3 percent. Pascal Siakam had a double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds, and Myles Turner added 12 points and 11 rebounds. Mathurin finished with 18 points.

Jaylen Brown drives past forward Pascal Siakam

Oklahoma City scored 11 of the first 13 points in the third quarter to take its first lead of the game at 64-63.

Indiana quickly regained the lead and was up 72-65 with 6:52 left in the third after a three-pointer by Tyrese Haliburton. The Thunder briefly led by four in the period, but Jarace Walker hit a three-pointer with 13.2 seconds left, sending the Pacers into the fourth with an 84-83 advantage.

Siakam helped Indiana get off to a strong start with three three-pointers during a 13-2 run, giving the Pacers a 29-19 lead at the end of the first quarter. Oklahoma City struggled early, shooting just 7-for-27 in the first 12 minutes.

The Pacers extended their lead to 44-31 midway through the second quarter after Mathurin hit a three-pointer, assisted on another, and made a floater. However, Gilgeous-Alexander scored 16 points in the final 5:48 of the half, forcing Indiana to settle for a 61-53 lead at halftime.

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NBA (Basketball)

The surging Thunder aim to prove their value in their upcoming matchup against the Pacers

Oklahoma City Thunder (NBA)

The Oklahoma City Thunder are feeling motivated to prove themselves when they face the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night, after being left off the Christmas Day schedule.

Despite finishing the 2023-24 season with a 57-25 record and securing the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, Oklahoma City was not selected for a Christmas game. Even coming close to reaching the conference finals last spring didn’t earn them the spotlight.

However, the Thunder have not let this holiday snub affect them, as they have won 23 of their first 28 games this season, putting them at the top of the West again. Still, star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is determined to make sure his team is not overlooked any longer.

“Disappointed for sure,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I’d love to play on Christmas Day, and I think we’re that caliber of a team. The NBA makes (its) decisions; you can’t slight them for it. The ball’s in our court to prove to them why we deserve to play on that day.”

The Thunder showed their strength on Monday, when Gilgeous-Alexander scored 41 points in a 123-105 victory over the Washington Wizards. This was their eighth straight win, and they have gone 12-1 since November 20.

It was also the season debut of Jaylin Williams, who had appeared in 69 games last season. He contributed three points and two assists in eight minutes off the bench.

Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell dribbles during the first half

“It was great to have J-Will back,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “He is the ultimate compete-together player. His ability to endure a trying individual time for himself professionally and stay as spirited and inside the team is really a testament to his character and resilience.”

The Pacers are also on a hot streak, extending their winning run to five games after a 111-105 win over the Golden State Warriors on Monday. All five of their starters scored in double figures, with Myles Turner leading the way with 23 points and 10 rebounds.

During their winning streak, the Pacers have held opponents to 104.4 points per game, and Turner hopes they continue focusing on defense.

“I think the beginning of the season we were all — myself included — kind of just worried about our offense and how we’re going to score the ball,” Turner said. “But that’s one of the things we do best. We’ve got to hang our hat on the defensive side of the ball. I think we’re going to continue to keep working.”

To stop Gilgeous-Alexander, the Pacers will likely rely on Andrew Nembhard, who did an excellent job defending Golden State’s Stephen Curry on Monday. Curry struggled, scoring only 10 points on 2-for-13 shooting.

“Yeah, I think he takes defense (seriously). That’s his role, especially with the starting unit,” Curry said of Nembhard. “Whoever the best scorer is, go-to guy, he takes that responsibility.”