Pacers drop fifth straight
By TYLER SMITH
ISL Editor
(Photo by Pacers Sports and Entertainment)
INDIANAPOLIS — The entire season for the Indiana Pacers has been defined by injuries, and streaky play. After their most recent hot streak, the Pacers were looking like a lock for the NBA Playoffs. After Saturday night, they once again find themselves a half game out after dropping their fifth straight game to the Brooklyn Nets, by a final score of 123-11 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
Brooklyn and Indiana came into this game ranked 23rd and 24th in the NBA in points per game. You wouldn’t have guessed that by the final score. The Nets shot 61% from the field on the night, and never let their foot off the gas. “To shoot 61% against our defense, that’s a special night,” Coach Frank Vogel said. “You’ve just got to give them credit.”
The Pacers are 19-7 when scoring 100 or more points in a game. Scoring 111 is normally a recipe for an easy win. Not on this night.
Rodney Stuckey didn’t play in the second half with a calf injury. George Hill played well in 32 minutes of action but is still clearly banged up himself. “We’ve got a lot of guys dinged up,” Vogel said. “A lot of guys are playing hurt and still fighting their tails off. It’s not showing up in the win column, but I’m really proud of our fight.”
Time is running out for moral victories. With just 13 games to play, and eight of the final 13 games against teams with winning records, the Pacers are going to have to dig deep if they want to be playing postseason basketball.
“You can only worry about the next game now,” Pacers guard George Hill said. “This game is over with. We’ll have practice and see what we can get better at.”
After a 9-1 Pacers run cut the Nets lead to 97-96, it was all Brooklyn after that. For the game, they were led by Brook Lopez who scored 26 points on 11-of-14 shooting.
The Pacers had six players in double-figures, led by George Hill with 18 points. He also added nine assists on the night.
This is the first time since the 1988-89 season that the Pacers have lost five straight games four different times in the season. With the return of Paul George still in doubt, the Pacers will continue to battle for a playoff spot with whoever is healthy enough to play.
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