Indiana Pacers steamrolled by Memphis Grizzlies for third straight loss

On Friday evening, the Pacers hung out after their loss to the Atlanta Hawks reviewing a 14-0 third quarter run by the Hawks that utterly modified the sport. They ended up dropping by two and needed to shake their demons the next evening in opposition to the Memphis Grizzlies.

As an alternative, Memphis did nearly the very same factor. The Pacers held a 40-39 benefit with 9:30 to go within the second quarter and seemed like that they had an opportunity to compete if they may proceed their degree of play all evening. As an alternative, 9 minutes glided by and the Grizzlies outscored the Pacers 29-9, and Memphis by no means seemed again the remainder of the way in which.

“We’ve to be extra locked in and have a ‘subsequent play’ mentality and get again,” Pacers guard TJ McConnell stated of slowing down runs from opposing groups. That second quarter stretch ended up being the distinction as Indiana ended up falling by a margin of 18 factors. They really outscored Memphis over the course of the rest of the sport.

The Grizzlies are one of many, if not the primary, greatest groups the Pacers have performed all season. Just one group, the Boston Celtics (who the Pacers beat in late December), has extra wins than Memphis, and the Grizzlies entered the night on an eight-game profitable streak. They’re gifted and taking part in nice basketball proper now.

They ran by the Pacers, typically actually. Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle praised Memphis’ physicality earlier than the sport, noting that it is going to be powerful for the Pacers to take care of. It was, particularly on the defensive finish.

However the Grizzlies had been bodily on offense, too. They set exhausting screens, reduce with pressure, and battled on the glass. “Credit score to them, they’re extraordinarily bodily on the defensive finish they usually made us pay out in transition. We missed pictures,” McConnell famous after the sport.

One bodily play that highlighted the Grizzlies’ aggression attending to the rim was a loopy dunk by Ja Morant within the third quarter. It might have been one of the best dunk within the NBA this season, and it gave Memphis the final little bit of momentum they wanted to place the sport away.

“Yeah, simple,” Morant stated after the sport when requested if it was one of the best dunk of his profession.

Generally, the Pacers offense actually struggled. They shot 36.9% from the sphere, their second-lowest share in a sport this season. Indiana solely made 23.4% of its outdoors pictures. Generally, the group did effectively attending to the foul line and getting offensive rebounds, however these advantages solely add a lot when an offense is as inefficient because the Pacers had been tonight.

“We had a whole lot of actually beauty tonight that did not go in. Perhaps it is fatigue, possibly it was unfortunate,” Carlisle stated after the sport. “You have gotta do the whole lot attainable to get the seems you need.”

Ultimately, the ultimate rating was 130-112. It was a blowout, with the higher group displaying what makes them a contender.

4 of the Pacers 5 starters — Andrew Nembhard, Bennedict Mathurin, Buddy Hield, and Aaron Nesmith — all shot beneath 40%. For Hield, it was his lowest scoring sport of the season (5 factors) and the primary time all yr he hit zero three-point pictures. Together with an 0/6 evening from Oshae Brissett means over half of the Pacers rotation gamers had poor offensive nights.

It wasn’t all dangerous, although. Isaiah Jackson had one other good outing ending performs across the rim, and T.J. McConnell completed with 13 factors and a season-high 11 assists for his second double double in 2022-23. He was two rebounds shy of a triple double.

Chris Duarte was the brilliant spot for the Pacers, although. The second-year guard had been struggling for just a few weeks getting into this sport, however he discovered his footing tonight and dropped in 25 factors on 7/15 capturing. He seemed snug and confirmed indicators of wanting just like the participant he was throughout his rookie season.

“Feels good man. I wanted it. I wanted to see the ball go in,” Duarte stated of his efficiency after the sport.

With the sport already determined, Terry Taylor (9 factors and 4 rebounds on 4/5 capturing) and Trevelin Queen (5 factors, his first as a Pacer) left their marks as effectively.

The Pacers fell to 23-21 with the loss. They’ve now misplaced three video games in a row for simply the second time this season and sit in eighth within the Japanese Convention. They’ll look to bounce again in opposition to the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday.

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