McConnell, Smith power Pacers past Thunder, 121-117

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — T.J. McConnell had 21 factors, 9 rebounds and eight assists, Jalen Smith added 12 factors and 15 rebounds and the short-handed Indiana Pacers held off the playoff-hopeful Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder 121-117 on Friday night time.

Enjoying with out injured All-Star Tyrese Haliburton and beginning middle Myles Turner, the Pacers shot 46% and outrebounded the Thunder 64-49. That they had misplaced six of their final seven.

“Nice basketball sport,” Indiana coach Rick Carlisle stated. “T.J. was nice within the fourth quarter. His perspective is without doubt one of the massive causes we have been capable of win. Oklahoma Metropolis is enjoying all their guys and going for this, and to face as much as them and play the best way we did, our guys stayed the course.”

Andrew Nembhard had 18 factors and 6 rebounds for Indiana. Jordan Nwora, Isaiah Jackson and Buddy Hield every scored 13 factors.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 39 factors, going 17 of 17 on free throws, and 9 rebounds for the Thunder. They started the night time in tenth place within the Western Convention however missed a possibility to get again to .500.

“I believed we had alternatives,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault stated. “We didn’t shut the third in addition to we may have. The fellows care. We’re competing and attempting to get there, however we’ll develop from these experiences no matter whether or not we come out on prime.”

Josh Giddey added 21 factors and 7 rebounds for Oklahoma Metropolis, Jalen Williams had 14 factors, six assists and 6 rebounds, and Lu Dort completed with 12 factors and 10 rebounds.

Bennedict Mathurin, who had 15 factors, made a free throw with 0.8 seconds left to place the sport out of attain. With Oklahoma Metropolis trailing 120-117, Williams dedicated a turnover on a cross out of bounds.

With 14.5 seconds remaining and Indiana clinging to a 117-115 lead, McConnell chased after a unfastened ball close to the suitable sideline and appeared to earn the Pacers the possession by throwing the ball out of bounds off of Dort. Oklahoma Metropolis challenged, nevertheless, and the decision was overturned.

“The decision didn’t go our manner; we will’t put our head down and pout about it,” McConnell stated. “We received out and received some stops.”

Gilgeous-Alexander then missed a turnaround jumper from the suitable baseline with 10 seconds to go. Smith rebounded and made one in every of two foul photographs to push Indiana’s result in 118-115.

With 6.8 seconds left, the Pacers deliberately fouled Gilgeous-Alexander, who made each free throws to tug Oklahoma Metropolis again inside a degree.

“These previous (losses) weren’t feeling,” Smith stated. “T.J. did an amazing job. It’s T.J. We anticipate that from him.”