In the first home game of the NBA preseason for the Indiana Pacers, the Memphis Grizzlies won 120-116.
The Pacer could not seem to get the cogs churning, allowing the Grizzlies to score the first the game’s first eleven points. Ultimately, this run set the tone for the rest of the contest.
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle noted the subpar performance in the first quarter.
“We made some progress in the second, third and fourth quarter,” Carlisle said. “The first quarter was very poor.”
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The Indiana Pacers coaching staff, including head coach Rick Carlisle (Left), looking on at Donovan Mitchell and the Cavsduring their matchup at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana on October 20, 2023. (Photo/Walt Thomas)
The usual starters for the Pacers — Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam and Aaron Nesmith — did not enter the game.
Grizzlies shooting guard Desmond Bane, a native of Richmond, IN., was off to a great start. Bane knocked down tough shots from midrange and beyond the arc.
Zach Edey, a product of Purdue University drafted earlier this year, asserted his game early. The Grizzlies forward led his team in the first half, tallying 13 points and three rebounds.
Memphis Grizzlies forward Zach Edey (14) goes up strong in the paint agaomst {acers forward James Wiseman (13) during the game on OIctober 14, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis, iN. (Photo/Walt Thomas)
Carlisle spoke highly of Edey following the contest.
“He’s [Edey] is going to have impact,” Carlisle said. “Two-time National Player of the Year is a big deal. I have great respect for what he accomplished at Purdue. I have a lot of respect for what he did tonight. He put a will and [level of] physicality on the game that we did not match.”
Pacers veteran forward Myles Turner countered with own version of imposing play. Turner notched 12 points and eight rebounds in the first half. He did not play in the second half.
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Obi Toppin and Andrew Nembhard contributed buckets of their own in the first half. The Pacers duo put forth eight and ten points respectively.
Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane, a native of Richmond, IN., during the game against the Indiana Pacers on October 14, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis, IN. (Photo/Walt Thomas)
The Pacers came into the second half trailing 60-49. Despite a quiet first half, Pacers forward Bennedict Mathurin turned on the heat. Mathurin knocked down two crucial three-pointers in the third quarter. He scored ten points in the frame.
Edey continued where he left off in the first half. He stormed the lane throwing down thunderous dunks, ending the quarter with a team-high 23 points.
Bane matched Edey with 23 points of his own to end the contest.
Grizzlies forward Jake LaRavia, who attended Lawrence Central here in Indianapolis, also contributed to the stat sheet. LaRavia ended the game with seven points, eight rebounds and six assists.
The Pacers showed signs of life in the fourth quarter, shredding a 20-point deficit to as little as four. The heroics were led by Jerace Walker, who ended the contest with a team-high 15 points.
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Memphis Grizzlies guard Jake LaRavia, who attended Lawrence Central High School in Indianapolis, gets tangled up with members of the Indiana Pacers during their game on October 14, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis, IN. (Photo/Walt Thomas)
Walker spoke about his play following the contest.
“Once we got our fight, our legs into it, switched our mindset … we began to play more like ‘the Pacers,’” Walker said.
Pacers draft picks Cole Swider and Enrique Freeman were integral in a 16-2 run. Swider knocked down two catch-and-shoot three-pointers while Freeman lived up to his two-moniker, playing staunch defense.
The Pacers return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse Oct. 17 to face LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets. They open the regular season against the Pistons, in Detroit, on Oct. 23.
Contact multi-media & senior sports reporter Noral Parham III at 317-762-7846 or via email at noralp@indyrecorder.com. Follow him on X @3Noral. For more sports from the Indianapolis Recorder, visit our archives.
Mostly clear and pleasantly mild by July standards, with lows falling into the mid to upper 60s. A northeast breeze around 5 to 10 mph gradually diminishes overnight. It is a great evening for taking a walk, sitting outside, or simply opening the windows for a while before the more typical summer warmth returns.
TOMORROW
Sunny and warmer, with highs reaching the upper 80s. A light northeast breeze around 5 to 10 mph keeps the day from feeling too humid, and this looks like another dependable summer day for outdoor plans. After the active and occasionally stormy weather of the past week, central Indiana gets a nice stretch of quiet weather to begin the workweek.
TOMORROW NIGHT
Mostly clear and a little warmer, with lows settling into the upper 60s. Winds become light overnight, and there are no meaningful weather concerns. The warmer nighttime temperatures are the first hint that a hotter pattern is beginning to build.
TUESDAY
Mostly sunny and hot, with highs around 90 degrees. A light east to southeast breeze develops during the afternoon, and humidity becomes a little more noticeable. It is still a very usable summer day, but if you have plans that involve being outside for long periods, make sure to have plenty of water nearby.
TUESDAY NIGHT
Mostly clear and increasingly muggy, with lows holding in the low 70s. There will be noticeably less overnight relief than earlier in the week, and air conditioners will be working a little harder by daybreak Wednesday.
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WEDNESDAY
Sunny and hot, with highs climbing into the low 90s. A light southwest breeze develops in the afternoon, and rising humidity may push heat index values into the upper 90s. For those heading downtown for events, concerts, or the Indiana Fever home game Wednesday evening, it will be one of those classic midsummer days where the heat sticks around well into the evening hours.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT
Mostly clear and warm, with lows near 72 and a light southwest breeze. The hot and somewhat muggy pattern remains firmly in place overnight, with very little cooling after sunset.
THURSDAY
Partly sunny, hot, and more humid, with highs again in the low 90s. A light southwest breeze continues, and there may be just enough instability for an isolated afternoon shower or thunderstorm. Most places stay dry, but this begins the transition toward a slightly more unsettled pattern heading into the end of the week.
7 DAY FORECAST
The quiet weather pattern continues through midweek, but temperatures steadily climb from the upper 80s Monday to the low 90s by Wednesday and Thursday. Humidity also returns, making it feel closer to 100 degrees at times during the afternoons. Rain chances remain very low through Wednesday before isolated storm chances begin creeping back into the forecast Thursday and Friday. The biggest story this week is not severe weather, but rather the return of summer heat and humidity across central Indiana.
INDIANAPOLIS — A shooting that injured a woman at a hotel on Indianapolis’ south side Saturday night is under investigation.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said officers were called to the Motel 6 in the 4300 block of Southport Crossings Way just after 9:30 p.m. on a report of a person shot.
Arriving officers found a woman who had been shot. She was reported to be in stable condition.
Investigators believe there was an altercation between the woman and a man in a hotel room that led to shots being fired.
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No other information about the incident has been released by police.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indianapolis City-County Council president explains her desire for a data center moratorium.
Council President Maggie Lewis wants to put a pause on new data center developments. The proposal comes after months of public pressure from residents and environmental groups who say the city needs stronger rules before allowing more data centers. Now, Lewis says it’s time to hit pause while those questions are answered.
“I’m not saying that we’ll never have a new data center in our community. That’s not what this is about. I understand the importance of economic development in our community, but it is important that we hit pause, do that deep dive, and allow the community and the experts to have an honest conversation about the topic,” Lewis said.
Lewis says she isn’t trying to stop economic development. Instead, she says the city needs more time to fully understand what data centers could mean for Indianapolis before approving additional projects. Lewis says residents have raised questions about the potential impact on utilities, the environment and quality of life, and she believes those concerns deserve a more thorough public discussion before the city moves forward with additional developments.
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“The community really is feeling as if their voices haven’t been heard. I believe it’s important that we bring all the stakeholders to the table and have that honest dialogue,” Lewis said.
Councilman Ron Gibson, who supports bringing data centers to Indianapolis, and he says these projects can bring investment to neighborhoods when they’re built in the right locations.
“This land where they’re going to actually develop it has been vacant for more than 43 years,” Gibson said. “It’s zoned for industrial use. This is really going to enhance our neighborhood. It’s going to bring back life, create more businesses that want to move into our area, and create more opportunity.”
(WISH Photo)
One of the biggest concerns raised by opponents is whether increased demand for electricity and water could create additional costs for taxpayers.
“I believe strongly that the data centers must uphold total costs. I made sure the developer, in writing, is responsible for all utility costs, so none of that rolls over to constituents,” Gibson said.
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Across Indiana, at least 17 counties have approved temporary moratoriums on new data center developments. Marshall and Cass counties have gone even further, banning new facilities altogether.
The committee meeting begins Monday at 5:30 p.m. inside the City-County Building, where members will hold a public hearing on the proposed zoning rules and consider Lewis’ amendment for a temporary moratorium. If approved by the committee, the proposal would move to the full City-County Council for further consideration.
