First Thoughts: Philadelphia 98, Indiana 91
By CHRIS GOFF
ISL Correspondent
Let’s take a quick look at how the Indiana Pacers lost a 98-91 decision to the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night at the Wells Fargo Center.
WHY IT HAPPENED: Philadelphia’s starting guards outscored Indiana’s 39-15, and 76ers center Spencer Hawes, filling in for injured star Andrew Bynum, put up insane numbers: 18 points, 16 rebounds, eight assists and seven blocks. All-Star Jrue Holiday added 27 points, 12 assists and six rebounds in a phenomenal performance of his own. The Pacers shot 39 percent from the field compared to 49 percent for Philadelphia, which improved its abysmal record to 25-40. Roy Hibbert had 25 points and 10 rebounds but took a career-high 26 shots, making just nine. Paul George threatened a triple-double with 18 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists, another crazy line in a game full of them. David West had 18 points but played just 27 minutes because of foul trouble. Indiana allowed 20 fast-break points, its second-most of the season.
WHAT WE LEARNED: Philadelphia outscored Indiana 19-4 to start the fourth quarter. The Pacers didn’t score their sixth point in the period until 4:45 remained. Hawes played the game of his life. Sometimes, things go downhill fast, and that happened after 76ers coach Doug Collins recited some form of magical words in the third-quarter huddle. Indiana was ahead 72-71 entering the fourth, and had been 35-6 when leading after three quarters. But the 76ers were the hungrier team with the game on the line. Without Bynum, Philadelphia has had a long season, but has showed more spark lately and that continued. Indiana had not lost three times in a four-game span since Nov. 13-18. The Pacers can now be considered in the throes of a slump having dropped four of their last six games. Shot selection was an issue, as Hibbert took twice as many as West. The Pacers trailed by 14 in the fourth quarter before cutting the deficit to six with 28.5 seconds remaining. George came off a screen and missed a 3 from the top of the key. That proved to be Indy’s last gasp.
KEY NUMBER: George entered the night shooting just 38.7 percent from the field in the month of March. He started Saturday 2 for 10 before finishing 6-of-17.
TURNING POINT: In a game with 12 ties and 16 lead changes, the fulcrum came in the fourth quarter, when Philadelphia opened the period on an 13-2 run to take a 10-point lead, surpassing Indiana’s largest edge (31-23) which came in the second quarter. Lavoy Allen, Evan Turner and Dorell Wright each made two baskets in the spurt.
NEXT: The Pacers play on a Monday evening for the eight time this season, heading to Cleveland to face a team that will be without its two best players. Kyrie Irving and Anderson Varejao are out with long-term injuries.
