Post-Game Grades: Pacers Start Strong Until the Warriors Juggernaut Ran Them Over
By Jared Wade
The Good: Not many teams can beat the Golden State Warriors in Oakland — and the Indiana Pacers are not such a squad. They started the game great, however, and pulled out to an unexpected 11-point lead despite losing Roy Hibbert to (another) ankle sprain early on. The Dubs started raining soon though and then whipped off a 10-0 run to start the third quarter and break the 50-50 halftime tie. After that, it was just too much Klay Thompson, too much Dubs. They’re just great, and the Pacers would have needed a perfect game when Golden State is groovin’ like this.
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- 3 positives, 2 negatives in Pacers In-Season Tournament win vs. Cavaliers
- 2 positives, 3 negatives from first week of Indiana Pacers basketball
- Should Isaiah Jackson’s days with Indiana Pacers be numbered?
The Bad: Null set. Sometimes you just tip that cap and go get on the plane. This kid had no complaints.
This Pacers fan is the best Pacers fan: pic.twitter.com/Pp2aa8383S
— Jared Wade (@8pts9secs) January 8, 2015
MVP: Klay Thompson. He is the truth. Watch the way he catches the ball here before making one of his several second-half 3-pointers. He scored 40 points on 25 shots and combined with Stephen Curry to hit 10 treys. (Klay made 6.) For Indiana it was Solomon Hill, who played one of the best few games of his career.
LVP:: Nobody really. C.J. Watson didn’t make a field goal and Draymond Green underwhelmed.
X-Factor: The crowd. The Roaracle got it’s name for a reason and between a special Harrison Barnes dunk and all of Klay’s theatrics there wasn’t nary a quiet moment all game long. Good luck to any team trying to win a Game 7 here — if any of the Warriors playoff opponents make it that far in a series.
 | Indiana Pacers | 102 | Final |
Recap | Box Score117Golden State Warriors
 | David West, PF 34 MIN | 6-11 FG | 4-4 FT | 7 REB | 6 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 3 TO | 16 PTS | -14Good team effort. Everyone played pretty well. |  |
Solomon Hill, SF 34 MIN | 8-15 FG | 3-4 FT | 4 REB | 2 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 21 PTS | -11Good team effort. Everyone played pretty well.
Roy Hibbert, C 6 MIN | 1-2 FG | 0-0 FT | 1 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 1 TO | 2 PTS | -4Good team effort. Everyone played pretty well.
C.J. Watson, PG 28 MIN | 0-3 FG | 5-5 FT | 4 REB | 5 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 4 TO | 5 PTS | -6Good team effort. Everyone played pretty well.
C.J. Miles, SG 35 MIN | 4-15 FG | 2-2 FT | 0 REB | 1 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 3 TO | 13 PTS | -14Good team effort. Everyone played pretty well.
Shayne Whittington, PF 1 MIN | 0-0 FG | 0-0 FT | 0 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 0 PTS | +2Good team effort. Everyone played pretty well.
Lavoy Allen, PF 33 MIN | 5-6 FG | 2-2 FT | 9 REB | 3 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 2 TO | 12 PTS | -8Good team effort. Everyone played pretty well.
Luis Scola, PF 22 MIN | 5-12 FG | 4-4 FT | 6 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 2 TO | 14 PTS | -6Good team effort. Everyone played pretty well.
Chris Copeland, SF 27 MIN | 2-6 FG | 0-0 FT | 5 REB | 2 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 5 PTS | -5Good team effort. Everyone played pretty well.
Rodney Stuckey, PG 0 MIN | 0-0 FG | 0-0 FT | 0 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 0 PTS | 0Good team effort. Everyone played pretty well.
Donald Sloan, PG 20 MIN | 6-11 FG | 2-2 FT | 5 REB | 5 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 2 TO | 14 PTS | -9Good team effort. Everyone played pretty well.