Indiana Pacers blow 18-point lead and drop close game to Denver Nuggets

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Pacers practically took down the two-time reigning MVP in Nikola Jokic on Wednesday night time, however they got here up simply brief on the ultimate buzzer.

The Pacers had a stable first half that was buoyed by a improbable second quarter. Indiana outscored Denver 43-21 in that body to hold a 14-point lead into halftime, and so they had all of the momentum on the time. Rookie guard Bennedict Mathurin had 18 factors within the second quarter alone and had 23 factors when the sport reached its midpoint, he was terrific within the first half.

“He is a killer. I like it, man,” Pacers heart Isaiah Jackson mentioned after the sport. “After he hit the primary three, I already knew it was going to be an extended night time for them… he had the new hand.”

The third quarter began effectively for the blue and gold, and so they led by 18 factors with 6:32 to go within the body at 87-69. The Pacers had all of the momentum, their star rookie was having a stellar night time, and Jokic had 5 fouls. The sport felt over at that second.

But it surely wasn’t. The Nuggets second unit discovered an additional gear from lengthy vary and the charity stripe and turned the sport again into an in depth battle. Denver went 11/11 from the free throw line within the third quarter and hit 4 threes, together with three from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in a 2:18 span. 

The Pacers did their half to remain forward and stored their lead getting into the fourth quarter at 95-89. However they misplaced all of their spirit, and Mathurin wasn’t on fireplace anymore. Manufacturing factors was robust, and it might be difficult to take care of the lead as soon as Jokic checked again into the sport.

“We did not make photographs within the second half,” level guard Tyrese Haliburton mentioned after the sport. “They went zone and that sort of shocked us a bit bit, however solely as a result of we weren’t making photographs.”

The ultimate body was basically an excellent battle for the primary three minutes. Then, Jokic checked in. The 2-time MVP hadn’t put his stamp on the sport but because of foul hassle, however he had the possibility to hold the Nuggets to victory regardless of his poor begin.

Even with Myles Turner enjoying glorious protection on him all quarter lengthy, Jokic closed the sport with 11 factors, three rebounds, and one help within the ultimate body. Denver outscored Indiana by ten with the Serbian massive man on the court docket down the stretch, he managed the motion for the ultimate minutes.

Regardless of Jokic giving the Nuggets the lead and the momentum, the Pacers gave themselves possibilities to win. Andrew Nembhard hit an essential three-point shot to tie the sport at 110. Haliburton hit a slick stepback jumper to even the rating at 117. Even with Denver seizing management of the sport, Indiana had their possibilities to steal a win.

The blue and gold had the ball with 30 seconds left when Haliburton missed a 3 pointer. Then chaos ensued. The shot clock was nonetheless on and the Pacers had been down simply two factors, so a cease and a bucket would have despatched the sport to extra time, at a minimal. Indiana wanted to lock in and drive a miss.

That plan failed rapidly when Mathurin fouled Jamal Murray with 22.2 seconds to go. It wasn’t an intentional foul, and the Pacers did not really feel it was a foul in any respect.

“I used to be telling Benn to not foul, I do not imagine he did foul, and there was a name,” head coach Rick Carlisle mentioned. “I definitely disagreed. In that second, you hope for some basketball decency. Let a coach vent, no matter.”

Carlisle’s venting earned him a technical foul, which shocked him.  Murray buried the technical free throw in addition to the pair he was awarded for the non-public foul. The Nuggets lead grew to 5.

Haliburton rapidly nailed a layup, so the Pacers wanted one other cease in the event that they wished an opportunity to tie the sport. However the shot clock was off. They would wish a steal within the ultimate 15 seconds in the event that they wished that probability.

They had been gifted a miracle alternative. Nikola Jokic inexplicably shot the ball with about eight seconds to go and missed, and Myles Turner grabbed the rebound. The Pacers had the ball with an opportunity to tie the sport late. Turner pump faked from the left wing and launched a 3 on the buzzer. But it surely rimmed out, and the Pacers fell 122-119.

“It was an okay look,” Carlisle mentioned of the ultimate shot. He did not name a timeout so his crew might use the complete court docket to search out the perfect three-point shot.

Mathurin was glorious, ending with 30 factors and two rebounds. It was not solely a powerful particular person efficiency, but additionally a powerful bounceback recreation from the rookie guard, who had his worst scoring night time of the season on Monday with eight factors.

Isaiah Jackson (17 factors and ten rebounds) and Myles Turner (14 factors and 11 rebounds) each gave the Pacers a lift with a double double within the frontcourt. Tyrese Haliburton joined them with 21 factors and 11 assists, his fifth recreation with no less than 20 factors and ten assists this season.

The Pacers subsequent take the court docket on Friday after they host the Toronto Raptors, who overwhelm groups with their measurement and size.

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